


The Next Generation (Hetalia)

by Copperbell111



Series: Kirkland the Romantic Hero [4]
Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Drama, F/M, Love, M/M, Romance, Tears, Time Travel, Unrequited Love, alternative universe, sci fi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-07
Updated: 2018-04-11
Packaged: 2019-04-19 16:56:40
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 27,487
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14241750
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Copperbell111/pseuds/Copperbell111
Summary: FRUK AU fic. Continues from "The Babymaker" and "Romance" and "Experiment" Arthur, driven by an urge to protect his baby girl Brittany, and his spouse, Francis Bonnefoy, fixes his time machine and goes into the future, where Brittany must be protected from Floreat Beilschmidt (son of Ludwig and Feliciano) and Romeo Beilschmidt (son of Roderich and Gilbert) who both wish to have her for their own.





	1. Little Brittany

**Author's Note:**

> A/N. This continues from other stories, The Experiment, Romance and Lord Kirkland, and The Babymaker. This is the first chapter in the series, look out for Feliciano and Ludwig's son Floreat Beilschmidt and also Gilberts son with Roderich, Romeo Beilshmidt. Please leave a reveiw, if you like the idea, or if you have some suggestions.  
> (To read how Francis gave birth to Brittany, see "The Babymaker" another of my stories)

As time went by, Arthur and Francis were bringing up their baby daughter Brittany, and she was a beautiful green eyed little girl, with hair just like Francis' and in her face, you could see the features of both her parents. Thankfully, or so Arthur thought, her eyebrows weren't exactly like his. She had started off with blue eyes just like her Papa France, but they soon changed to green, and it is a little-known fact that all babies are born with blue eyes, and their colour is determined later. Brittany had developed the greenest eyes, just like her Papa England.

Arthur was the one who worked the most whilst Francis spent most of his time looking after their little girl, but the Englishman would take a lot of time to be with her, as she was his precious little flower, or so he called her. Soon the mansion in England was a warm and cared for home once again, as it was what Arthur and Francis wanted for their daughter. Arthur went back to inventing things, and finally came up with some useful inventions which sustained their income. Things were going well for the Kirkland-Bonnefoy family. They had contemplated having more children and decided that they would but not straight away.

Francis was a little tired through. Taking care of little Brittany could be exhausting and he was sometimes up all night feeding her or changing her or dealing with her colic. Arthur helped of course but Francis was her main caregiver.

One night. Arthur was asleep in bed whilst Francis was seeing to little Brittany. He finally got her down to sleep but it was so exhausting, and he stood at her cot, looking down at her tiny body. It had taken so long to get her down, and as he was leaving the room, she started wailing again.

"Oh, Brittany why must you whine like your Father?" he groaned and went back to her.

Arthur heard him and chuckled, and then thought Francis deserved some sleep so he got up to take over.

"You should go to bed my love, and let me take care of her for a while… hm?"

Francis hugged his neck and handed their squawling little bundle to him to hold. "I thought you would never ask…" he groaned. "Good luck… she's got colic or something…" he mumbled.

Arthur kissed him and held him too for a moment. "You get some sleep." he whispered. "I love you…"

Francis gratefully went to bed whilst Arthur rocked little Brittany in his arms. He was so tired he felt like he could just fall asleep, and that was exactly what happened as soon as his head hit the pillow.

For Arthur this was what he wanted all his life, and Francis had given it to him. A warm home with a little family, there could be nothing better, so it didn't matter if she cried or needed anything or whatever, for she was their little girl, and his precious flower.

Soon the baby girl fell asleep in her Daddy's arms and he gently put her down into her cot and covered her up. Taking a couple of minutes just to look at her, the small miracle that she was, he felt an overwhelming protective urge overtake him.

"Nothing in this world is ever going to hurt you Brittany…" he whispered. "Nothing in the world… I'll make sure of it."

His eyes filled with tears, not of sadness but just for overwhelming love and that strong protective feeling, for she was so tiny and vulnerable. He wanted to do everything for her and everything for Francis, so that both of them, his spouse and his baby girl, would have the best of everything.

When he got back to bed, Francis was fast asleep, so Arthur crawled in and wrapped his arms around him, spooning him.

"She's asleep…" he murmured, whether or not Francis could hear him. "She's such a beautiful little thing… I will do everything to make sure she had a good l..life…" he sniffed and wept into his pillow, unaware that although Francis was mostly asleep, he could hear him. "And I'll never let anything bad happen to her… or to you…I love you so much…" he whispered.

Francis couldn't help it, he turned around to face Arthur and wiped his tears from his eyes. "Je t'aime aussi…" he whispered, feeling that flutter of love in his chest for Arthur. "The same goes for me, I will protect her and you for the rest of our lives." he whispered. "Why the tears Mon Cher?"

"I'm not sad or anything… just…overwhelmed with it all…" he whispered. "Thank you for giving me a beautiful daughter." he said and paused. "I wonder how she will grow up? I hope she has a good life…"

"Hmmm…" sighed Francis as he cuddled up to Arthur, resting in his husbands protective arms. "You could find out if you…got that time machine of yours working again…" he mumbled as sleep finally took him. Arthur stroked his hair and kissed his forehead, also letting sleep take him, but then he opened his eyes again. Francis was right, he could see her future, he could make sure she was going to be alright, and all it would take, would be to fix the machine, and maybe with a new algorithm he could program it to take him into the future.

That night he got absolutely no sleep whatsoever, laying awake, cuddling Francis and thinking about what he could do about the machine. He still had all the parts, and the machine was partly assembled in the lab in the basement, and he could do this. Yes there might be some danger attached to this but he was thinking of how to get round any problems. He felt like he owed it to his family to protect them from anything that might hurt either of them, and so he was justifying his idea to go into the future, find out what was going to happen and then if anything was wrong he could make changes so it wouldn't happen.

Surely one could change the future right? Surely it was only the past that could not be changed? What if the future could not be changed, then what? All these questions were running through his head as well as algorithms and equations as to how he could adapt the machine to take him into the future and return him to his own time unharmed. As dawn appeared on the horizon he realised he had to do this, and he made up his mind to work on the machine after breakfast that very day.

To be continued…


	2. When the Future is Wrong...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur steps into the machine and goes to the future, but something has gone wrong with time somewhere. Hence its 1966 and there is a raging war going on.   
> Francis waits for Arthur's return in vain, and believes he has died.

As soon as breakfast was done with Arthur went down to the basement to work on the machine. Usually he would be down there anyway, working on something or other for the government or something special, but today, he set about restoring the parts to the machine that were damaged when he destroyed it all that time ago. Luckily he had a few spare parts lying around and he remembered a lot from when he had constructed it the first time, so it was fairly easy to put it all together again, although it took so long to do so.

Around 12pm Francis came down to see if he was okay, and brought him something to eat and drink, only to find him tinkering around with the insides of the machine. "What are you doing?" he asked. "I thought you had destroyed that machine…"

"Aha…" he said triumphantly as he took the cup of tea Francis had brought and started to eat the sandwich. "I just had this idea… I mean… you gave it to me actually…"

"What idea?"

"That with this machine I could go into the future and find out what happens to our little Brittany…is she asleep right now?"

"Out like a light." Francis said with a smile. "I thought we might hire a nanny… I mean… when she is six months old, not yet…"

"A nanny is a good idea. After all you've got your work and I have mine… we'll sort something out." He chuckled.

"You know, I am not sure you should be thinking about going into the future… I thought you said messing with time was a bad idea." Francis said as he took a look at the machine. "Are you sure you want to do this?"

"If it works my love, I shall be gone less than an hour… but it might not work… "

"You said that about your miracle chemical, that it might not work, and it did." Francis said now feeling a little bit worried about this. "I don't like the idea of you doing this Mon Cher… I don't know but I just have a really really bad feeling about it." he uttered. Something absolutely didn't feel right. He couldn't explain it, just that he didn't want Arthur to continue with it.

"Please don't do it." he said suddenly. "Please…Arthur… "

Arthur smiled reassuringly and took both his hands. "What are you worrying about my love?" he said and rubbed his shoulder gently. "Nothing is going to happen. I'll just take a quick look around in 1966 and then come straight back and tell you how well our little Brittany is doing…"

Francis felt his heart speed up, like in a panic. "Please, don't do it… " he gasped "I can't explain this but I only know if you do this, something bad will happen… and… I don't want to be left alone, and our little girl without her father…"

"Would I do anything to put you or our baby in jeopardy?" asked Arthur. "Look…if I can't get it to work then I won't go…"

"DON'T!" Francis warned again, "Just…leave it Arthur please…"

Arthur shook his head and took Francis in his arms and held him. "I know you're worried… but there's no need to be… everything will be alright. Look… let me work on it today… and if I can't make any headway then I'll leave it… alright?"

"I wish you would listen to me…" sighed Francis as he pushed him away. "I'm going upstairs to see to our daughter, but you take heed of what I said for once in your life…" he uttered and then went upstairs without hardly looking back at all.

Arthur watched him leave, knowing that he'd upset him a bit. Even so he wanted to keep trying with the machine, and was convinced Francis was worrying about nothing.

It was a few hours later when he was able to switch it on and it fired up just like it used to do. He spent a further 20 minutes altering the computer's algorithm before feeling able to test it.

Thinking about what Francis had said he decided to write a note to him. He was sure he would be back before his husband even knew he had gone, so after he wrote it, he took a photograph of little Britney, himself and Francis, taken just two days after she was born. If he had worked out the algorithm right, the machine would take him to some point in the future where they were, and he was hoping 1966 because that's what he put into the equation. Then without a moments further thought, he started up the machine and went into the chamber….

At 6pm Francis came down once again to tell him that dinner was ready, and it was his favourite bland sausage and mash.

"Mon Cher I hope you have stopped working on the machine… " he said. "Anyway dinner is… ready…" he uttered and then realised Arthur wasn't there. On the table however he had left a note, and so he picked it up and read it.

My Dear Francis

Maybe you won't even need to read this because I will be back before you know it. I only want to see what lies ahead for our little Brittany, and then I will be straight back. If there are going to be any problems we can sort them before they even happen, its all for her own good and her future. I want the best for her and you, so I have gone into the machine.

Please know that I love you and Brittany with all my heart, and I would never put you or her through anything bad.

Yours with love

Arthur xx

As he read it Francis once again felt fearful. He put his hand over his mouth in shock and turned to the machine. Arthur would have been back immediately if everything was fine. His heart lurched, and his head was swimming. Everything was wrong now… everything felt different…

Later that night, Francis was still waiting for Arthur to return but nothing happened. He brought little Brittany down to the basement to wait with him, just in case Arthur got back, but he never did, and he waited all the next day and all the day after but there was nothing.

One day, a few months after he had gone, Francis had to leave… ever since England had gone, the world had changed so significantly in ways that nobody had even anticipated. He stood in the basement holding Brittany in his arms, his bags and possessions were in the hall upstairs ready to be taken to France. He stood there staring at the machine, feeling quite wobbly and upset, his bottom lip quivering. He knew that the reason Arthur hadn't come back, wasn't because he didn't love him anymore, or that he had found someone else. There was only one reason why his husband didn't come home, and that was a reason Francis didn't want to believe. He must have died.

"M…Mon Cher…" he whispered. "You would have come back to me if you could…" he sobbed. "But I have to accept that you are dead… and I really don't want to. I must leave for France immediately, for there is war here… without you the world has gone insane…" he uttered, and stared at the machine hoping against hope that it would spring back into life and Arthur would appear there and everything would be fine, but there was nothing. A single tear rolled down his cheek as he turned, and took their baby girl away from the basement, and away from the mansion.

Arthur however, hadn't died. He awoke in the ruins of his mansion, it had been bombed so badly that it was barely recognisable, and the machine wasn't in the best of repair either. The sky was grey and although it was supposed to be spring time, it was really cold.

"What…happened?" he gasped as he made his way through the rubble. He had a sense that this was wrong, and that time had changed somehow, but it was hard to make sense of that feeling, only that this wasn't what was supposed to happen. He looked around at the devastation, there was smoke and flames and the blossom from the cherry trees drifted around everywhere, and he was alone, or… at least he was for a while… because he could hear the footsteps of an army of men approaching.

Instinctively he hid in what was left of his mansion, and waited to see who it was. The army appeared to be Spanish, and he thought he recognised the man leading the them. It was definitely Antonio Carriedo. He looked older, and more fearsome, but it was him. He looked around as if searching for someone, as if he had seen Arthur on the approach but he couldn't have, or could he? Arthur hid till the army had moved on and then came out of his hiding place. His mind was going frantic. What had become of Francis and Brittany? Something inside told him he had to follow that army without being seen, and somehow they had to be around.

To be continued.


	3. Romeo and Floreat Beilschmidt

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur realises he has been robbed of his home, his life and his family, and Brittany's stepfather wants to marry her off to one of the Beilschmidt boys. Cruel fate..

Arthur followed the army for a couple of hours as they entered the streets of London, but this wasn't the London he knew. After the blitz it had been destroyed, but this was utter devastation. It looked like new buildings and bridges had been built and some restored, but then they must have been bombed again. Another blitz perhaps?

"No… it doesn't make any sense!" he uttered to himself "We won the war…"

Still he followed the Army and Antonio Carriedo, till they entered some army barracks. He slipped in unseen behind them and watched Antonio from behind a wall. Maybe he could let him know he was there, and perhaps if he stepped forward…

At least that's what he was thinking. After all Antonio would be the only one who knew him, but something made him stop. A beautiful young girl of no more than 17 ran out to meet him from the family area of the barracks. "Papa!" she cried and hugged him.

Arthur's heart broke right there… for he recognised that girl, and she wasn't just any girl, she was Brittany, 17 years old, with beautiful silky blonde hair, the greenest of eyes, and the features of both her parents present in her effortlessly lovely face. It was his precious little flower, and she was calling Antonio Papa? Hugging him?

"No… I'm your Papa…" he whispered to himself. This wasn't right, and Arthur couldn't help but wonder what in the world had happened. It took all the strength in the world not to start sobbing but he couldn't stop the tears. He just turned away and hid his face in his arm on the side of the wall. "I'm your Papa…" he uttered. "W…what happened…? Why?"

As he stood there trying to be inconspicuous, he heard two men approaching from behind and so he hid in the woods and tried to keep quiet. One of them was an albino who looked remarkably like Gilbert Beilschmidt but he was more refined, younger and wore glasses. The other was taller and square jawed, but had slicked back brown hair, they spoke German, some of which Arthur could understand. They walked right past him and didn't see him, towards the barracks where they were greeted by Antonio, and by Brittany, and they all went inside. Arthur watched and he could clearly see the looks that taller one was giving his daughter, lewd looks. He didn't like it one bit, not to mention the other one who was also coming on to her, telling her how pretty she looked. Arthur knew what was on his mind…

He had to get inside the barracks so he could see what was going on with everyone, and hopefully without being seen. He also wanted to know why Brittany was calling Antonio Papa.

Sneaking up to the window, he could see them gathering at the table for dinner to be served. Antonio was there, and the two men he'd seen, also Gilbert who must have arrived earlier, and Ludwig. He watched as Feliciano also entered the room and greeted everyone, sitting down next to Ludwig.

"Floreat!" he said as he kissed the young man with the slicked brown hair. It was obvious he was his son with Ludwig. The other was clearly Gilberts son, and Feliciano greeted him too. "Romeo, we are so glad you could come!" he said.

"Ve thought it best, on zis the anniversary of our great victory." Romeo said in his strong German accent. "Und I vas looking forward to meeting ze beautiful Brittany…" he said as he took her hand and kissed it.

She smiled courteously, and even flirted a little but she couldn't have liked that, at least that's how Arthur saw it. Antonio sat there laughing and pouring the wine. "FRANCIS!" he called.

As he watched from the window, out of sight of everyone his heart leapt when he saw Francis enter the room with a large pot of something that smelled quite delicious. He sat down next to Antonio who kissed him and pulled him on to his knee. Everyone looked happy, but Arthur wanted to scream. Why had this happened? Why was Francis doing that? He could hardly hear a word that was said, and he wanted to know more so he searched for a way inside. On the first floor, round the back, a window was open, and so he climbed up the drainpipe and opened it some more before hauling himself inside. He wasn't sure exactly what he was going to do, but he needed some information, perhaps he could listen outside the door to what they were saying. As he was sneaking along the corridor he heard someone come up the stairs and so he ducked into the nearest bedroom, and then into the closet where he hid. The bedroom door opened and it was Francis. He sighed and closed the door behind him. He really didn't look happy, not in the slightest, so all of what went on downstairs must have been an act. Sitting down on the bed, he took out a photograph of Arthur from his bedside cabinet and gazed at it. "Mon Cher…" he uttered. "It is 17 years to the day since you died…" he said "Oh I miss you…"

Arthur wanted to step out of the closet there and then, to comfort him, to tell him he was alive, but he had to stay where he was, because someone else entered. Antonio was there and he looked like he wasn't in the best of moods either.

"What's the matter with you ? You've been in a sulk all day." he said. "I don't like making excuses for you."

"You know fine well what day it is…" Francis said sadly. "It is 17 years since Arthur died…" he said softly. "I cannot face them. I also do not like the way Romeo Beilschmidt looks at Brittany. I want you to ask them to leave… "

"You just don't get it do you Francis?" Antonio laughed. "Why do you think I invited them?" he said "Its time she found a husband… and one of those German boys is just right… we need the money anyway."

"Money…? What money?"

"Listen you little French Fancy, we're broke, we don't have two pennies to rub together. She is the only asset we have. She marries Romeo or Floreat, and we're back in business… good for the economy and that sort of thing…"

"Antonio!" Gasped Francis "You are using your step daughter as collateral? How could you?" he uttered, shaking with anger. "Arthur will be turning in his grave!"

"You don't think your precious Arthur would have done the same thing? Hm?" growled Antonio. It was obvious he had been drinking, and he was losing his temper quickly.

"He never would! He loved her! He loved me!"

"Oh, did he? But he just up and disappears… that's really a man who loves you Francis. Leave the past behind and get with the program. If we don't marry her off, we'll be even more broke than we are already." he roared, right in his face. Francis shook with both anger and fear of him.

"He died!" wept Francis "He would never have left me!"

In anger, Antonio struck Francis, and made him fall down. "He didn't fucking love you! Get it into your thick skull!" he roared drunkenly.

Arthur watched from the closet, fighting every instinct in his body to attack Antonio for the things he was saying and doing. And why did Francis think he was dead? He wasn't dead, he was right there… and yet… he thought… he was dead. He realised that something must have happened, and he didn't get back home, like he was planning to. For the past 17 years Francis had to bring up Brittany on his own… no wonder he felt he had to marry someone else. Even so, it felt like a betrayal. Arthur had to repeat to himself that Francis thought he was dead, because he couldn't bear to think of him with Antonio and loving him and being with him.

After slapping the Frenchman a few more times, Antonio angrily left the room, slamming the door and leaving poor Francis on the bed crying.

Arthur wanted to come out of that closet and give Francis the love and comfort he deserved but he hadn't seen him for 17 years. Working it out in his head it must therefore be the year 1963. It was only a day for Arthur, but how was he going to step out of a closet and be there for him? What would he say. "Hello Francis I'm back… Honey I'm home…?" It would be too much of a shock. He knew that. He waited till Francis calmed himself down and fell into a troubled sleep before he left the closet. He went over to him and stood by the bed, just for a moment, wanting so much to hold him and be there for him, but he could not. Quietly he left the room and went downstairs, still trying not to be seen by anyone and being quite successful at it. His heart was just about breaking through. Antonio had turned into a bastard, and he wanted to marry poor Brittany off to one of those Beilschmidt boys. He had to do something, but what? He couldn't let this happen, not to Francis and certainly not to Brittany. As he sneaked out of the front door, even then he was thinking about how to save his daughter and the man he loved.


	4. Miss Bonnefoy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It seems the Germans have an interest in Brittany Kirkland Bonnefoy...   
> and Arthur is wondering how he can put this mess right.

The kind of barracks where Antonio and the others were staying, used to be British officers quarters and were very elaborately furnished and designed. The main house had an extensive garden as well as a classical interior. It really was quite something, however they were more or less squatters.

Arthur tried to make sense of what must have happened, the Germans had finally taken over the country, and without England there, the motivation of the people must have been broken. Francis must have found it difficult to bring up Brittany on his own and felt he had to remarry. Antonio must have stepped in there, but somehow he had turned into a control freak, who beat Francis and used his step daughter for political gain. It really hurt when he thought about it, and to hear Brittany call that man "Papa" was just too much. He was heartbroken and angry, this was the worst future he could ever have seen.

He made his way back to what was left of his mansion, in ruins and razed to the ground. He thought perhaps if he could go back in time, back to that moment before he made this ridiculous decision, then he could change it all, but he soon found out why he couldn't go back. The machine was completely ruined, just like everything else. All that was left was the outbuilding which would serve as some kind of base for him, at least he had somewhere he could think about what he could do to change this mess. Could it really be all his fault that the future turned out this way?

He didn't even have to think about crying, it was all happening naturally, and he didn't hold back.

The door to the outbuilding was loose, but at least the building was intact. Inside, it was furnished reasonably well, and contained a few necessities, such as a radio, a little furniture and some clothes in a closet. In his day it had been used as a guest room if people came to stay so it was quite well equipped with a bathroom and a small kitchen. This would be sufficient for him, but it was clear that he was alone in what he had to do, and it would be better if no one knew he was alive. He had to think about what to do, if he couldn't go back, it was his responsibility to put it right… but how?

Dusk fell upon the land and Floreat Beilschmidt seized his chance. Dinner had finished some time ago and the men had retired to the drawing room, minus Francis who had apparently left them due to a mysterious illness, or at least that was the excuse Antonio had given them.

He spied Brittany on the terrace outside taking a walk in the grounds alone, and he decided now would be the best time to get to know her, after all, he had heard a lot about her. Dousing his cigarette, he left the company of Antonio and the others and made his way outside.

"Frauline Bonnefoy…" he said as he walked out on to the terrace.

"Oh… Mr Beilschmidt…" she replied in surprise. "I thought you were with the others in the drawing room."

"Ja." he replied. "But I too needed ze fresh air." he said with a smile and paused. "I er… have heard a lot about you Miss Bonnefoy. Or do you prefer Kirkland?"

She gasped and looked at him. No one had told him who her real father was so how would he know?

"H…how do you…know..?" she uttered.

"People talk." he replied. "I listen." he continued and paused again for a moment. "Mien Vater talks of him often."

"I would thank you not to speak of him Mr Beilschmidt…" she said, looking quite upset. "Papa France believes him to be dead but the fact that they never found his body tells me one thing only…" she paused and turned to him. "That my father ran out on us, and the country…"

"Oh I … am sorry I did not mean to upset you Miss Bonnefoy… or…can I call you Brittany?"

"That would be acceptable Mr Beilschmidt…"

"Floreat… please… call me Floreat…"

"Floreat…"

They walked round the extensive grounds of the barracks side by side, and it was clear that Floreat was interested in her, but being a naïve girl, she did not realise what his intentions were.

"What an interesting name…" she said with a smile. Floreat took her looks toward him and smiles as some kind of flirting, just like a French girl. He was very eager to keep things going with her.

"Ah yes… people do say that. Don't ask me, ask Feliciano, also Mein Vater…" he chuckled. "Zey um… have big plans for me you know…" he said "Vish for me to be ze new third Reich and Holy Roman Empire and bring in ze dawn of a new day." he chuckled. "Is quite exciting isn't it?"

"Oh rather…" she replied "Does that mean that they want you to be some kind of…King?"

"Emperor…" he said. "I have a great future ahead of me." he said trying to impress her, and hoping it was working.

"Oh my, that is quite something." she said trying to smile, although inside was horrified at that thought. Things were bad enough in the world, but now this Floreat was being groomed and prepared to be some kind of Emperor? Something made her feel very wary of him and she suddenly felt very alone and vulnerable. Floreat Beilschmidt was a big muscular beast and it occurred to her that should he come on to her in any way, that she would never be able to fight him off.

"You er… like me don't you?" he said, looking at her in a kind of way that made her want to get out of there as soon as she could. This was frightening her a lot, but she tried to be civil.

"What do you mean Mr Beilschmidt…I mean… Floreat… uhh…"

"You know exactly what I mean. I have seen ze vay you look at me, and you have been all night long… " he said "Let me tell you ze feeling is mutual."

"W…what feeling? What are you talking about?" Brittany said, trying to walk faster and back in the direction of the barracks as they had walked too far.

"I really must get back now…" she said as she tried to walk away from him. He grabbed her by the arm and stopped her.

"I know you like me… I can tell.." Floreat said with a grin. "You and I have a lot in common…"

"We don't!" she snapped. "I have not one thing in common with you!"

Floreat was a little rough as he pulled her to him. "So why don't you kiss me and find out?" he growled. He would have gone further but they were interrupted. Romeo Beilschmidt stepped out of the shade and walked towards them, hands behind his back, giving disapproving looks towards Floreat.

"Is everything alright here?" he asked in a kind of warning tone towards Floreat, who immediately let go of Brittany. She looked quite grateful for being saved, as she was starting to think her situation was quite dangerous.

"Everything is fine thank you… Mr Beilschmidt…" a quite distressed Brittany said towards Romeo, as she straightened herself up and walked quickly towards the barracks. They watched her leave and Floreat this time did not try to stop her.

"Try anything like that again and you'll have me to answer to." Romeo said, warning Floreat off.

"You interrupted us… how dare you?" growled Floreat. "We were getting somewhere…"

"Floreat, you overestimate yourself. She was afraid of you. Grow up, you self satisfied bastard." he said.

He watched Romeo walk off after Brittany, and he was thinking how he could punish him when the time was right. One day he would be crowned the Holy Roman Empire and then Romeo wouldn't have a leg to stand on. He would crush him.

"I… I must thank you Mr Beilschmidt…" Brittany said as she walked back to the barracks with him. "I think you might have saved me."

"Ah he is all talk and no action." Romeo said with a smile. "Ever since we were children, always boasting about how he will be Emperor one day, always making out that he is superior." he chuckled as he pushed his glasses up on his nose.

Brittany felt safer in Romeo's company. He wasn't as big or muscular and he certainly wasn't full of himself like Floreat was. They approached the barracks and he politely bowed to her. "I fear I must bit you goodnight Frauline Bonnefoy…" he said being overly polite.

"Call me Brittany…" she chuckled.

"Thank you Brittany… and you must call me Romeo."

"Romeo." she said and curtsied.

"Um… Brittany…?" he asked just as she was walking away. "As we are here for a few days, I wondered if you might like to go out riding in the morning…"

"Oh…?" she uttered and bit her lip. Romeo was certainly more charming than Floreat but dare she go out with him alone? "Um… can I think about that?"

"Of course… let me know in the morning what you would like to do." he chuckled. "Goodnight Frauline Bonnefoy… uhh.. I mean... Brittany."

She gave him a little wave as he went on his way and then quickly went inside before Floreat showed his face again.


	5. Mr Roachfort

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An old man stops by on his way to become the new Butler for the Carriedo outpost of Holy Rome. He is lost, and Arthur has an idea...

Arthur sat despondent in his little outbuilding cottage, wondering how he could put right his mistakes. He wondered what could have possibly happened to America and why he hadn't done anything to stop this either. There were some questions like this that might never be answered, but he got a very bad feeling about it.

Pacing the floor he knew he couldn't just sit around when Francis was clearly in danger from Antonio's temper, and Brittany was going to be married off. That wouldn't do at all. There had to be a way to sort this out. It was impossible, but then as he was contemplating what to do, a man stopped outside and checked a map, seemingly lost. Curious, Arthur went outside to see what the problem was.

"Can I help you?"

"Oh…" the man turned round to face him. He was wearing big glasses and it was clear that he was very near sighted. "I happen to be a trifle …lost…" he said. "The names Roachfort… Colin Roachfort…" he said with a smile. "Looking for the army barracks, but you know I've been all over this area and damned if I can tell where the blazes I am… London is so different since they bombed the life out of it… can't bloody tell whether I'm coming or going." he said "…and you are?"

"Arthur…Kirkland." replied Arthur. "I'm er…new around here…" he said "But maybe I can help you find your way… You are heading for the army barracks you say?"

"Yes… yes… I'm to take up a new post as a butler for the Carriedo outpost. Dashed if I can find my blasted way there though…" he said.

"Carriedo outpost?" Arthur asked. "Outpost of what?"

"Oh my, have you been hiding under a rock for ten years man? Holy Rome, where else?" he muttered looking at his map. "I'm sure St. Pauls Cathedral is around here somewhere… or at least it was…" he fussed. "I can't see a bloody thing since my eyes went… age you know…" he grumbled.

"I should have started my new job yesterday, but I didn't get here on time…" he said. "But you know I'm probably the best butler this side of Europe…which is why they requested me…" he said. "Know much about Butlering do you Sir?"

The old man kept going on and on about this and that but it was clear he was lost, and he must have been around 80 years old and so, perhaps losing his mind a little as well as his sight. He made Arthur smile a little, but then an idea came to him.

"Oh I know a great deal about Butlery…" Arthur replied as he picked up rather a large rock. "I'm quite an authority on it myself…"

"I have been a Butler for 70 years…" the old man went on. "Ah I remember the good old days… when England was… England…" he said.

Arthur was about to club the old man on the head but he found that he couldn't do it… he was just too sweet.

"But we must submit to new authority…" he muttered. "If I were a young man though… I'd smack the Germans in the bloody mouth and no mistake…"

"Um… if you don't mind me asking Mr Roachfort, I um.. have a little amnesia since the bombing. What exactly happened?" Arthur asked, still holding the rock.

"Oh it was terrible young man…" Roachfort said. "We all thought we'd won that blasted war, and everything was going well… and then… then… the country just seemed to lose its spirit… and America withdrew and left us to it."

"America left us to it?"

"Oh yes… what was it Kennedy said now? They have enough with their own affairs or something… hehe… oh curse those damned Yanks. Anyway, a couple of years later along comes this idea of Holy Rome and the Third Reich just… ran amok. We had no choice but to surrender… although I can't help thinking we never would have if only… we hadn't lost our fighting spirit." the old man muttered. "Now I'm stuck doing Butlery when I should have retired by now… but how else am I meant to support myself?" he said "No retirement package for yours truly…"

"Tell me… have you met Carriedo or any of his…people?"

"No.. no…" answered the old man. "Only spoken to them on the telephone. They had all my credentials, wanted to be treated like royalty they say. I used to work in the Palace you know… before they bombed it to high heaven…" he sighed. "And what is it you do, young man?"

"I'm… an inventor." he replied. "I was away for a long time, and now I have come back…"

The old man looked at him strangely, almost in recognition. "I…am sure I have seen you before…" was all he said before he blacked out. Arthur had hit him with the rock.

"Sorry Roachfort…" Arthur said as he picked the dazed old man up of the ground and took him to the outbuilding where he took his hat and glasses, and his coat, and his little bag he was carrying. Roachfort would still turn up at the barracks, but it would not be the Roachfort they were expecting. He had to come up with a disguise as well though, and luckily, he did have a few things such as a false grey beard and a false nose. He didn't think he would have any use for them so they were in a forgotten cuboard in the outbuilding… now he could use them to get into the barracks, pretending to be old Roachfort.

Gilbert was asleep in the lounge having had too much to drink the night before but that might have been a deliberate attempt to get him drunk. Antonio, Ludwig and Feliciano were talking about the future.

"Is he asleep?" Antonio asked, as he prodded Gilbert. He didn't wake up. "Good…there is much to discuss."

"Soon Floreat will be old enough to assume his power as the new Holy Rome." Ludwig said. Feliciano just smiled sweetly. He just let Doitsu make all the arrangements.

"He has expressed an interest in Brittany, and I think… it would be a good idea for them to marry, for then Holy Rome would naturally have authority over France and Britain completely… it would just seal the deal." Ludwig said "There is not much resistance, but to win over the British and the French completely, we need this marriage…"

"I am keen to set this up Ludwig." Antonio said eagerly. "It will herald a new age for all… and this marriage of Britain and Holy Rome, can you imagine the possibilities? I agree, so we should arrange everything for them. "

"Excuse -a me…." Feliciano interrupted. "Is..a this an arranged-a marriage we are talking about here?"

"Ja dumbkopf!" Ludwig yelled. "World domination you fool… without fighting."

"I don'ta think is such a good idea, what if they don'ta like each other…?"

There was a silence in the room, interrupted by the doorbell ringing. It kept on ringing and annoying them.

"Don't we have a butler to answer the door?" Ludwig asked.

"Oh… he didn't turn up!" grumbled Antonio. "Stay here, I'll answer it and tell them to go away.

Antonio went to answer the door and who should be standing there but an old man, all bent over and supporting himself with a steel cane.

"Forgive me sir, is this the Carriedo outpost? Only I got lost on the way, and I am rather old…"

"Yes this is the Carriedo outpost." Antonio replied. "And you are?"

"Oh… my name is Colin Roachfort Sir, the new Butler. I would have got here last night, only some fool has rearranged the entire street map of London and I haven't a clue where in the blazes I am… isn't it ridiculous."

"Roachfort? Oh of course… Roachfort… I remember you…we spoke on the phone…"

Francis made his way down the stairs just as Roachfort was being brought inside.

"Ah this is our new Butler, non?" he asked. "I will volunteer to show him around… "

"Very well Francis my dear…" Antonio said and introduced them. "Francis, this is Senor Colin Roachfort, ex Royal Butler, and Roachfort, this is my spouse, Francis Bonnefoy." he said. "He will show you the kitchen and your quarters, so um… I'll leave you to it Francis."

Antonio went back into the lounge to speak with Ludwig again, leaving them in the hallway.

"Welcome to the Carriedo outpost Monsieur Roachfort…" Francis said. "This way to your quarters…" he continued as he showed him along a corridor and downstairs to the basement. "I told Monsieur Antonio that we did not need a Butler but he was so insistent… it was I who persuaded him to hire the best, and that is you Monsieur Roachfort." #

Arthur as Roachfort, followed on behind Francis, pretending to have a limp and leaning heavily on his cane. All he wanted to do was remove his disguise and tell him who he was, that he had returned, but he had to stick to his plan. If he wanted to free Brittany, and Francis, nobody could know who he really was. It was a real struggle to hold back his emotions, but he had to do it.

"Papa!" came a young voice from behind them. Brittany came up to Francis and hugged him, but for a split second Arthur thought that she might have recognised him. No such luck.

"Ah Brittany!" said Francis with a smile. "I would like you to meet our new Butler, Colin Roachfort, I'm just showing him around."

"Monsieur Roachfort… I hope you will enjoy working for us." she said politely. However as she went to shake his hand, she had the strangest feeling she could not quite explain. It was as if she knew him and yet she couldn't have. "Er… pleased to meet you… Mr Roachfort…" she uttered.

"I am pleased to meet you too Miss…" Roachfort replied and bowed.

Brittany just could not shake off that feeling that somehow she knew him. It was just the oddest thing. Francis too had an odd feeling but he tried not to think about it.

"Is everything alright my dear?" Francis asked her, taking in that strange look on her face.

"Oh yes Papa!" she said. "I have met quite the most wonderful boy…" she said going a little red. "You know Romeo Beilschmidt? He has asked me to go riding with him this morning…"

"B…Beilschmidt..?" Francis uttered. He didn't like the way that boy was looking at her the night before. His face fell, and he looked quite serious. "Um… Brittany… I need to show Monsieur Roachfort to his quarters, but we need to talk about this… I won't be long… just wait here…" he said as he hurriedly showed the new Butler to his room.

As he was going away, the old man stopped him for a second. "Monsieur Bonnefoy…" he said "I share your sentiments… she is young and needs guidance…"

"I agree…" he replied. "I hope you get settled in Monsieur Roachfort…" Francis said as he reached out to shake his hand. There was something so familiar about those hands of his, but Francis was so concerned about Brittany he couldn't think straight, and yet… he couldn't shift that feeling that somehow he knew Roachfort… somehow.


	6. Amor Romeo Amor

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Antonio wants Brittany to marry Floreat, but she has discovered true love with Romeo... Arthur is ageing rapidly due to an effect of time travel.

Brittany ran down to the stables to meet with Romeo, who was just about ready to ride off without her. "Wait, wait!" she cried. "I have decided to come with you after all!"

She hadn't waited to hear what Francis was going to say, she wanted to see Romeo and didn't want to be talked out of it. There was just something really lovely about him and she knew he wouldn't do anything nasty towards her. Instinctively, she understood that he wasn't that kind of guy, he was a good person, despite the fact that Gilbert Beilschmidt was one of his parents. She knew his other parent was Roderich Edelstien and that he would be very cultured in music and the arts.

A few moments later, she was with him and they rode off into the countryside together. Francis watched from the barracks, quite upset that she had gone off without talking to him first.

"Where's Brittany?" Antonio asked as he took a swig of wine. "Floreat wanted to talk to her…"

"Floreat? What of him?" Francis asked.

"Well… everything is arranged… or at least it will be. She'll be wed to him… I guarantee it."

Francis sighed and felt powerless. "I really don't think its Floreat she wants to be with."

Arthur stood in the background putting some glasses away in a cabinet and filling a couple of decanters as he witnessed this argument. He couldn't interfere but all he wanted to do was smash Antonio in the face, he was so angry. Yet he continued to do his work.

"I couldn't care less if she likes or dislikes Floreat… she's marrying him and that's final." Antonio said and drank more wine. "You need to loosen up. You were never like this…"

"You can't force your step daughter to marry someone she doesn't love." Francis said, as he stood up to him. "Never mind how good it will be for the country… or whatever mad idea you had in mind."

"She will marry him. Or there will be consequences."

"Wh…what kind of consequences?"

"You'll find out." Antonio growled.

"You can't do this!" Francis cried. "It's not right, she's only 17!" he said "You can't make her marry someone she cannot love!"

"What makes you say that Francis? You did it after all…" Antonio said angrily. "Don't think I have no idea, you married me for money, and now there is none left. I'm not fucking stupid."

There was a silence in the room as Francis looked down to the ground almost in acceptance of that. "Antonio… I… I… honestly believed…"

"YOU FUCKING LIAR!" the Spaniard replied. "I've had to listen to Arthur this and Arthur that… for years!" he uttered. "Now last time I looked I was head of this household… she's marrying Fucking Floreat whether she or you likes it or not." he yelled before once again striking Francis. He walked out of the room and left him there like that, in tears and not knowing what to do.

After a few minutes Arthur couldn't help himself and he had to say something.

"Pardon me Sir…" he said, remembering that he was still in disguise. "But I couldn't help overhearing…"

"Oh… I am sorry you had to hear that Roachfort." Francis replied.

"Would it not be better, Sir, if you were to take your daughter and leave him?" he uttered in a softer voice that was almost his own, but he tried to stay in character.

"I can't." Francis replied. " Where would we go?" he sighed rhetorically. "He has all the assets and all the money, and I have nothing. My daughter would be destitute… and I couldn't live with myself if I put her through that. Ever since her father left… we've had to struggle…"

"Oh, so Mr Carriedo isn't her…natural parent?" Arthur asked. "What happened to him?"

"No, he's not her natural parent." Francis replied. "I know it sounds ridiculous and you must wonder what's going on…" he said "But my first husband was a great inventor. He was able to make me have a baby naturally, and I know how ridiculous that sounds. Us both being men and all." Francis paused as he thought back to the past. "There was an accident in his laboratory… and they never found his body. Some say he disappeared deliberately but…but I don't believe that."

"And what do you believe Sir?"

"I think he died." Francis replied and paused tears filling his eyes. "I miss him so much." he uttered. Arthur's heart ached as he told him how he felt. If only Francis realised who he really was.

"Oh I don't know why I'm telling you all this Roachfort… do excuse me… I.. need to lie down." he uttered, his voice faltering a little. Arthur desperately wanted to hold him and make everything better but he held back.

"Of course Sir." Arthur replied and bowed as Francis left the room, and it was obvious he was really upset and crying. He felt trapped in his situation and there was nothing he could do.

"Oh Francis… " he uttered. "I wish I hadn't…"

"ROACHFORT!" yelled Antonio. "DRINKS ALL ROUND FOR ME AND MY FRIENDS!"

"Coming Sir!" Arthur replied pulling himself together. He was very skilled at being a Butler and knew exactly how to fool everyone into thinking he was just a dottery old servant. He brought a few bottles of wine, and beer into the drawing room for everyone in there.

"You know Roddy and I have big plans fr…fr… Romeo… too you know…" a very drunk Gilbert slurred. "Though at this very moment in time I can't quite remember what they are… probably a violinist or something… Roddy is into all that musical nonsense…hic" Gilbert was very drunk, and Roachfort/Arthur was instructed to keep his glass full, which he did dutifully do.

"As it happens, I vant him to be ze special envoy in Switzerland." Ludwig said. It was clearly a ploy to get him out of the way, so that Floreat would then be able to court Brittany. "I vant him to leave in the morning… it is an important job you know."

"What…what… wait…why do you want him to leave so early and… and..?" Gilbert slurred as he drank whatever was put in front of him. "I thought he and whatsername were getting on… you know… "

"Nien… she does not like him." Ludwig snapped. "He will leave for Switzerland in the morning."

"And…does zat mean I also have to leave?"

"Ja… first thing." grinned Ludwig as he watched his older brother get drunker and drunker.

"Ja…okay…" Gilbert replied, drinking more beer. "Though I thought… he liked uhh… that girl…"

"Ingenious plan Ludwig." Antonio said as he lit up a cigar and handed one to him and Feliciano. The Italian didn't look so enthusiastic, but he always went along with whatever Ludwig wanted.

Arthur in his guise of Roachfort, stood there filling up their glasses, the anger rising within him, but he had to pretend he was just this old Butler. Soon he would make his move, but not till the time was right.

Meanwhile Brittany and Romeo were out riding, and racing across the fields trying to be first to the other end. Either Brittany won or Romeo let her, but she got there first and felt triumphant.

"I concede… the mighty Brittany has won!" chuckled Romeo as he caught up with her. They were at the top of a ridge that overlooked a valley, it was quite a beautiful sight to behold.

"This is a very lovely land…" Romeo said, taking in the view.

"My land.. or it would have been… one time." Brittany said as she looked out over the valley with him. "Where you live in Austria must also be very beautiful Romeo. I would like to visit your home one day."

Poetic latin words entered Brittany's mind as they sat there together, and a moment passed between them.

"Amor, Romeo Amor cuius Romeo amor…" she uttered as she gazed into the eyes of the Albino next to her. He felt something happen, a strange fluttering in his chest he could not explain, as did Brittany when he looked at her.

Both of them dismounted from the horses and walked hand in hand for a little while along a winding path, as the cherry blossom from the trees floated around them, and underneath one of those trees, Romeo Beilschmidt took Brittany in his arms and kissed her, and she willingly kissed him back.

"I think I love you Frauline Bonnefoy…" whispered Romeo. "My Brittany…"

"Je t'aime aussi…" she whispered back. "I really think I love you too Mr Beilschmidt…" she said softly and they kissed once more under the cherry blossom trees. What they didn't realise was that they had been followed. Along the path a little Floreat watched, his heart filled with jealousy. He was going to have to do something about this. He walked away angrily from the scene, planning how he would get his revenge on Romeo, and Brittany for himself.

It was a couple of hours before they got back to the barracks, and they had vowed to keep silent about how they felt about one another, for fear of what their elders might say or do.

Later that night the housekeeper was ordered to take some medicine up to Brittany's room but Arthur offered to take it up instead to give the housekeeper some time off, and also that he might spend a few minutes in his daughters company, even if she didn't know who he really was. He knocked and entered when she instructed for him to come in, and he found her gazing dreamily out of the window.

"Roachfort, put it by my bed… I want to look out at the fields a little while… isn't it a glorious night…?" she sighed.

"Of course M'lady." Arthur said as he placed the medicine by her bed.

"I have had the most wonderful day…" she said. "Have you ever been in love Roachfort?"

"Oh…once… maybe, a long time ago M'lady." Arthur replied. Brittany spoke to him as if she knew him and it was true, she felt really comfortable talking to him.

"Romeo is quite the most wonderful boy I have ever met…" she sighed. "Is it love? Is this what it feels like?"

"Well… how does it feel M'lady?" Arthur asked. How could his lovely daughter be in love with the son of Gilbert bloody Beilschmidt? It was beyond understanding.

"Oh… my heart just skips a beat whenever I see him… my soul feels alive… its almost as if I can see through his eyes!" she said in a dreamy sort of way. "Have you ever known such a thing Roachfort? A man of your experience must have felt it."

"Perhaps I have M'lady." He replied. And in that moment he realised that his baby girl was a woman and she loved a man, and who was he to object to that? He too had felt such a feeling, for Francis, and he still felt it. He knew in those moments that Brittany was hopelessly in love with Romeo.

"But I do worry so Roachfort." she said. "I don't think his parents approve and my stepfather seems to be against us." she turned from the window and sat down on the bed to take her night time medicine, it was just a sleeping draft but she took it every night. "I do so hope that Romeo doesn't have to leave in the morning… I couldn't bear it." she sighed.

"Will that be all M'lady?" Arthur asked, not wanting to offer any advice here, as he felt a bit out of his depth.

"I so wish Antonio was not my Stepfather…" she sighed. "He used to be so nice but lately… he's been so awful…" she sighed. "I tried to be a dutiful daughter to him but I just can't anymore. He's been so beastly lately…"

"Really M'lady?"

"I know he's raised his hand to Papa France and soon he may do the same to me." she sighed.

"I am.. sure he will not M'lady…" Arthur muttered.

"If only my real father hadn't just run off and left us. I hate him for that." she said sadly. "Papa France told me he was dead but… I don't think so. He ran away… like a coward…"

"Will that be all M'lady?" Arthur asked, trying to disguise the anguish in his voice.

"Of course Roachfort, I'm sorry, I just needed to talk to somebody, I hope you don't mind."

"No M'lady of course not." he replied courteously before leaving the room. Her words cut like a knife. He rushed to his quarters hoping that he wouldn't be called to make drinks or something, he just needed some time… just a few moments. Entering his room he closed the door and locked it, and he was crying deeply before he even got there. Brittany hated him, she thought he was a coward. Why did it hurt so much? Why? He took off his disguise and stood in front of his mirror, looking into his own tearful eyes. Who was going to be there for him when he cried? No one.

"I can't do this…" he uttered, ready just to walk out of there, but he knew he couldn't just leave Francis and Brittany to their fate, however much this hurt him.

As he stood there, pain started to creep up on him, at first it was like a sudden fatigue, but then it became more, an ache, a dreadful, horrible ache, and he watched his reflection, dramatically age, from being a young man to someone much older. Something strange was happening. Was this an effect of time travel? Why was he ageing so quickly? Would it ever stop? Just as he was beginning to panic, the pain slowed down as did the ageing effect but somehow he looked a lot older than he truly was. There were wrinkles on his face and a few grey hairs, had appeared. Something strange was happening, but Arthur knew at that moment that he must free his family from their predicament, and that he didn't have much time.


	7. Brittany's in Love

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Romeo and Gilbert's plane crashes due to a bomb on the plane and Brittany is heartbroken. Floreat tries to rape her and Arthur jumps in to save her, shedding his disguise.

"You will be leaving in the morning and that is final!" Yelled Ludwig, his strong voice echoing through the house. "You are charged with an important duty Romeo."

"What? But… Uncle Ludwig, what if I don't want to do this? No one consulted me!" Romeo protested. He really had no idea and this was just sprung upon him. He turned to Gilbert who was also in the room with them. "Father did you agree to this?"

Gilbert nodded and grinned. "Oh Ja, I will also be going with you… Switzerland is a great place…" Gilbert said. He wasn't making much sense, and Romeo realised he was quite drunk.

"Uncle Ludwig, I really don't think that I am suited for this task." Romeo continued.

"You are going!" The huge German yelled. "Now get out of my sight, and we will have no more protesting from you, or there will be consequences.

Romeo left the room red faced and angry. It would mean he would have to leave in the morning. As he walked down the hallway he was met with a gloating grin from none other than Floreat.

"I don't know what you're staring at!" He yelled.

"Bye bye Romeo." Floreat laughed.

However, Floreat knew now that he would be able to court the lovely Brittany without his interference, and he had other plans. There was something sinister about the way he looked at his cousin and Romeo knew it, he just had no idea what he could be planning.

Later that night Brittany awoke to the sound of lovely music being played outside, on a violin. She gasped and woke up, it had to be Romeo, after all, he was part Austrian, he was so musically talented. Her heart leapt as she looked out of her window to see him there, playing a really beautiful tune, just for her. She opened the window and gave him applause.

"That is beautiful Romeo!" she cried. "What are you doing?"

"My rendition of "Tammy's in Love.." he replied. "For you my Brittany…"

"You woke me up in the best way!" she said checking the time. "At three in the morning."

"I couldn't sleep, and I couldn't leave without saying goodbye to you…"

"You…you're leaving?" asked Brittany, really disappointed.

"I have to." he replied. "Uncle Ludwig is very…forceful. "I don't want to go… but Brittany, I will return as soon as I can… I promise."

"No… you can't go!" she cried. "I can't let you just get on a plane and leave! Oh Romeo! Why does this have to happen?"

"I don't want to go…" uttered the young man. "But the plane leaves in a few hours, and my Father is already up and about… which is ridiculous because he got so drunk yesterday… I don't know why he agreed to their stupid plans." he said. "I won't forget you Brittany… I'll write every day… I promise!" he said.

"Don't go Romeo!" cried Brittany. "This isn't fair, this just isn't fair!" she said bursting into tears. "Please don't go."

"I have no choice." he replied, and she could hear the emotion in his voice. "Ich Liebe dich…" he replied sadly.

"Romeo, vot are you doing?" came the voice of Gilbert from somewhere inside the house.

"I must go…" he called up to Brittany, who was by now at her window, quite heartbroken. Romeo had to leave that very minute, and it was upsetting.

"Je t'aime aussi…Romeo…" she called down. "God speed… I do love you and I shall miss you…" she uttered, and raised a hand to wave goodbye to him but he was gone.

Unknown to anyone, Arthur heard every word of what was said. He went through a mixture of emotions, including anger, and annoyance towards the young Beilschmidt boy, but then seeing how upset his daughter was as he was leaving, softened his heart a little. She loved him and by the way he was acting he seemed to love her too. He didn't quite know what to think. He both wanted to smack that bloody German in the mouth and make his daughter happy at the same time. Well he was leaving now and there wasn't anything he could do about it, except hope against hope that Brittany would not be upset for too long.

Later that day as Arthur set about his duties in the drawing room, he heard on the radio, the news of a terrible event.

"And we are hearing just now of news of a plane crash…" said the newsreader. Brittany was sitting in the drawing room with Francis and Antonio, doing some embroidery, when she heard it. Somehow her senses piqued and she turned up the radio so that everyone could hear it.

"The British Airways 6.50am flight to Switzerland has crashed in the moutains, and according to witnesses, in suspicious circumstances. Some believe there was a bomb on the plane…"

Her heart leapt in her chest, was that the flight Romeo and Gilbert had taken to Switzerland? Everyone was dead silent, as Ludwig entered the room.

"A search will be conducted as soon as the current snowstorms have ceased…" the newsreader said.

"Ludwig… what flight were Romeo and Gilbert on?" Francis asked.

"They were on the 6.50 am, weren't they?" cried Brittany, dropping the embroidery she was working on and running out of the room in tears.

Ludwig stood there clueless. "Vot happened?" he asked.

Francis ran after Brittany, concerned that she was upset, and wanted to help her.

"There was a plane crash Ludwig…" Antonio said as Floreat entered from outside with Feliciano. "I think Romeo and Gilbert were on that plane…"

Floreat was quite silent, but there seemed to be a sort of sinister satisfaction about him, as if he had known that something was going to happen.

"Roachfort, we will have drinks now!" yelled Antonio.

"Very good sir." Arthur replied as they sat round the table discussing the event.

"Apparently it crashed over Switzerland this morning… I'm really sorry Ludwig… I … I know you and Gilbert were close…" Antonio said, trying to be supportive. "We'll do everything we can to find their bodies…so they can have decent funerals…I'm so sorry Ludwig… Feli… " he said turning to Floreat who looked like he was almost smiling.

Antonio immediately realised that Floreat had something to do with that crash, just by the way he looked. That sent alarm bells ringing for him, because this was the man he wanted Brittany to marry. Had he really set a bomb to go off in a plane and killed all of those people? He had no proof and didn't want to think about it, so he callously dismissed that thought.

"Mien Bruder…" he sighed, staring into space. "And my nephew…I.. I wanted them out of the way…not to die…" he gasped. "This is my fault… what was I thinking…?"

Arthur too realised that Floreat wasn't reacting in the right way, and as he poured his drink for him, he accidentally on purpose spilled the bottle of beer on the young German's crotch.

Floreat jumped up in anger and surprise. "You stupid dumbkopf Bastard!" he screamed and immediately slapped the old Butler in the face, knocking him down. Nobody came to his aid, after all he was just the old helpless Butler. Floreat grabbed him and threw him out of the drawing room.

"I want that old bastard fired!" he yelled "Look what he's done!" he yelled pointing to the mess. "He's too fucking old to be working!"

Meanwhile Francis had caught up with Brittany in her bedroom. She was in floods of tears believing that the man she loved was now dead.

"Brittany dear!" uttered Francis as he entered the room. "Are you alright?"

"I can't believe it Papa!" she cried, the tears unable to stop. "He's dead… Romeo… I can't believe it."

"Ma Cherie… do not take on so…" Francis said taking his daughter in his arms. "You…you loved him didn't you?"

"I can't explain it Papa…" wept Brittany. "I hadn't known him long but he meant something to me, he was amazing, I … I loved him!" she cried. Francis comforted her the best he could, but all this brought back memories.

"Papa?" she sniffed, looking up at him "How did it feel wh…when Papa Arthur d…died?"

"It…felt like this…" Francis said, trying to be strong but not succeeding. "It felt just like this…"

Later that day Antonio summoned Roachfort to his office and he wasn't happy with him. Arthur stood there in his guise as Roachfort, wanting just to pour some alcohol into Antonio's crotch as well. He would do it if he got the chance.

"You do realise you have upset our guest Floreat Beilschmidt… " he said "And on today of all days, when the boy has received news of family deaths."

"I apologise unreservedly sir… a senior moment if you will.. I am 80 years old … it was purely accidental." Arthur said trying not to laugh and hoping he sounded convincing.

"You will apologise to Floreat. You do know who that boy is don't you? If you do anything like that again you will be fired, and I might add not paid. As it happens your pay will be suspended for a week for such misconduct." Antonio continued. He stopped for a moment as if he recognised the man standing in front of him. Up until now he hadn't taken much notice but there was something about Roachfort. He stared at him oddly.

"I've seen you somewhere before, haven't I Roachfort?" he uttered. "Is your name… really Roachfort?"

"Yes sir." he replied. "Colin Roachfort Sir… ex Royal Butler."

"Hmm…alright." Uttered a suspicious Antonio. "Go and apologise to Floreat or you'll be sacked on the spot." he said.

That night, Arthur still hadn't done as he was told. He wasn't going to apologise to the new Holy Roman Empire, in any way, shape or form. If anything he was ready to take him on, to take them all on. He didn't know how he was going to do it, but there had to be a way.

He went about his duties as usual but as he was taking Brittany's night time medicine up to her, he witnessed something that he just couldn't get his head around.

Brittany was in her bedroom, still very upset about what had happened to Gilbert and especially her beloved Romeo, and had been crying all day, grieving for his loss. Floreat knocked on her door, not realising that Arthur was nearby, and when she opened it, he forced his way in, locking the bedroom door behind him.

"Floreat…what do you w…want?" gasped Brittany as the big German forced his way in and moved towards her in a sexual and threatening way.

"What do you think I want?" he growled. "Come on… give it up… you have been teasing me since I got here. You think I don't see it? The looks you give me? How you played Romeo against me so that I would want you more hm?" he said as he moved towards her. She backed off and kept backing off, as he kept moving forward.

"Now Romeo is out of the picture…" he said "Nothing stopping us… " he continued with his intimidating behaviour. Brittany found herself with nowhere to run and this horrid beast of a man bearing down on her. He was so much bigger than her, so much more powerful.

"Come here you little French bitch!" growled Floreat grabbing her roughly. "I know you want it, you've been begging for it…" he hissed as he took her in his arms, forcing a kiss upon her lips, and his tongue down her throat, as he tried her best to fight him off.

"Get off me!" she screamed as Floreat's rough handling ripped her nightgown at the front. Arthur was outside the door, and as soon as he heard her scream, he felt a surge of anger, and that protective urge he always felt for her, as he kicked the door down and launched himself inside, grabbing Floreat and throwing him over the other side of the room. "Leave her alone!" he roared. "Don't you fucking dare touch her!"

Stunned, the young German picked himself up and realised that the old Butler was the one assaulting him, but he had greater strength than he should have had. He chuckled and stood up to his full height, and he was extremely tall. Maybe a foot taller than Arthur and more muscular too. "Lets see vot you got old man…" he said and punched him hard. Arthur took it, and immediately retaliated, punching him back and then again and again.

Arthur was relentless, all he could think about was that nobody was going to hurt his little girl, and he was going to kill him. During the fight, he lost the disguise, the glasses came off, the false nose and hair, revealing underneath it a man who was much younger than the old man he portrayed himself to be.

Brittany watched on in surprise, she couldn't believe this. Roachfort was someone else entirely. Arthur was doing his best but Floreat was much stronger and with one punch had knocked him down, and even then he wouldn't give up. He got up and attacked him again, and even though the German was clearly stronger, Arthur fought and fought till he couldn't anymore, and the only reason he couldn't was because Ludwig and Antonio came in and grabbed him.

As they were dragging him out of there, he shared just a moment with Brittany, and it was very brief.

"Who…who are you?" she uttered, looking deep into his green eyes, just like her own. "Who are you?"

Arthur couldn't answer as they dragged him out of the bedroom. He didn't know what was going to happen to him now, but he couldn't just stand by and let a bastard like Floreat Beilschmidt rape his little girl. He just looked at her with so much love in those eyes and his heart as they took him away.


	8. My Innocence Screams out for Justice

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur is thrown into a dungeon for cowardice and treason, and Brittany completely grounded. Francis is also locked up.

"Arthur Kirkland… after all these years…" Antonio said, not sure whether to be glad to see him or not. His very being alive had put their plans at risk and the rise of the New Holy Roman Empire, as well as the marriage they had all planned between Brittany and Floreat.

"Surprised to see me?" smirked Arthur.

"Where have you been all this time?" he asked. They were in Antonio's office and Ludwig had locked the door so that no one would come in and discover who they had in there.

Arthur didn't reply. For one thing, he didn't quite know how they would take it if he told them he had a time machine.

"Furthermore, why have you come back?" Antonio asked.

"This puts all of our plans at risk!" hissed Ludwig.

"I know what your bloody plans are you Kraut!" Arthur said angrily. "Marry my daughter off to your son… Floreat… I mean… what kind of boy is he? Ever stop to think about that?" Arthur continued. "I caught him forcing himself upon Brittany!"

There was a long silence in the room before Ludwig finally spoke. "I don't believe a word of it." he said. "He may have come across a little keen or eager, and you seem to discount Brittany's part in all this. I believe she led him on…" he said.

"What are you talking about? She did no such thing!" yelled Arthur. "I found him forcing himself upon her!"

Both Ludwig and Antonio knew the truth but they had made plans for them, and wanted to achieve a certain goal. Although they knew they were in the wrong they still dismissed Arthur's claims that Floreat was about to rape the girl.

"You come back here after a 17 year absence and think you can just waltz in here and take over?" Antonio said in a defensive way. "I have brought that girl up. After you fucked off like a coward, Francis had no one, and without me, he would have been destitute." Antonio said angrily. "You don't even have the guts to tell him you're here… you are a coward Arthur. Now a traitor to your master, as you pledged allegiance when you entered into service …yes even as the Butler."

"What the hell?" Arthur uttered. He hadn't thought of himself as a coward, he was trying to find a way to free Francis and Brittany without anyone getting hurt, that wasn't cowardice…or was it?

Antonio saw that he had touched a nerve when he called Arthur a coward, and so he played on that, to make him feel even more miserable and in the wrong.

"Lets examine what you did Arthur." Antonio continued. "You knocked out the old Butler… who, lets face it, is 80 years old. You hit an old man who couldn't defend himself." he said. "I suppose you feel proud of yourself for that don't you?"

Arthur didn't reply. Instead he felt a deep pang of guilt, because that was exactly what he did, only, the way Antonio put it, made him seem quite sadistic. He had hit an old man who couldn't defend himself. It was shameful.

"Then you work for me, and don't even have the nerve, or the honour, to tell us who you are, or even tell Francis, the man you claim to love. I mean… where does it end Arthur hmm? Perhaps you misinterpreted what was going on in Brittany's room and attacked her fiancée without thinking… which tells us you are a sick man… sick Arthur… and probably dangerous."

As he spoke and said those things, Arthur did start to feel like he was in the wrong. He had hurt the old man, he had kept quiet about his identity…and what if he had misinterpreted everything? But surely not.. no.. Brittany had cried out…she was being raped…or was she? In those moments he didn't know whether he was right or wrong. Antonio smiled inwardly and raised a brow as he saw the confusion on Englands face.

"Your daughter knows what a coward you are. She has spoken of it on many occasions, how you abandoned her and her Papa France. You really hurt that poor child by your absence… I mean, do you even realise what you've done to her?" Antonio continued. "I'm sure she hates you after what you did, and you're not even sorry are you Arthur?"

"I didn't mean…" he began as the guilt hit him. It was just getting worse and worse. He sat there looking down at the floor whilst Antonio ripped him apart, mentally, spiritually, and psychologically. And what if he was right?

"And you come in here trying to be a saint do you? After all that?" Antonio continued.

Arthur didn't say anything, he couldn't, he was confused and didn't quite know how to answer. With that Antonio called the garrison to come and arrest Arthur and take him to prison for treason. Not just any prison though, as they had constructed a place for prisoners of war who they considered dangerous, deep in the dungeons of what used to be the tower of London, a building which no longer existed, but its dank dungeons did.

"We've prepared a nice little place for you…" laughed Antonio. "No one will ever know you are here."

"But…but she saw me…she…" Arthur began.

"She doesn't know who she saw." Antonio replied. "I shall just say you were an impostor or a vagrant… and Ludwig will say the same."

"Ja. Ich will. You do not exist." Ludwig agreed.

"No, no you can't do this, you know its wrong, both of you!" screamed Arthur as the garrison came and dragged him out of there, taking him away to the dungeons where he was destined to spend an unspecified amount of time.

"Have a word with your son will you Ludwig?" Antonio said as he watched England being dragged away. "We don't want to jeopardise this union. If he did try to rape her, tell him he's got to apologise and get himself together…"

"You believe England do you?" growled Ludwig.

"Not exactly, just make sure he's on the same page as the rest of us alright?"

Brittany ran to find her Papa France, who was asleep in his bedroom. She hammered violently on the door, till he answered and let her in.

"Papa! Oh Papa! She cried.

He took her in his arms and led her into the bedroom, switching on the lamp. He had been asleep and the room was dark, he hadn't even realised what had gone on.

"Brittany!" gasped Francis "What happened?"

"Oh Papa!" she cried and talked too fast because she was distressed. Francis noticed that the front of her night gown was a little ripped as well.

"Its awful, that horrid beastly man, Floreat, he tried to rape me, and then there was Roachfort and he wasn't who he said he was, he just came in and there was a huge fight, and…and…"

"Slow down…" Francis said as he hugged her. "Now tell me again, slowly what happened?"

She sat on the bed and got her breath back. Francis gave her a drink of water.

"Floreat came to my room to try to … rape me…" she cried. "He forced himself on me, Papa!" she sobbed.

In shock Francis hugged her, and he just couldn't believe this was happening, not to her, not to Brittany, he couldn't let it. The anger rose within him, so much that he could hardly speak.

"Where is Floreat now?" he said in a husky voice "I'll kill him!"

"No but you don't understand…" Brittany continued. "Roachfort…"

"What about him?" asked Francis curious.

"He wasn't Roachfort at all…he… he was a younger man in disguise…" she said as she drank her water. "He was fighting with F..Floreat, telling him to leave me alone… and… the disguise came off him… he was a younger man Papa." she uttered "..and it is the strangest thing… for he had deep green eyes…"

Francis' heart leapt. He hadn't taken in he colour of Roachfort's eyes because of the huge glasses he wore, and his large nose. He felt his heart beat faster. "Go on.. Brittany… what was his hair like?"

"It was…b..blond… mop like… but lovely. " she said "He was a little taller when he straightened himself up… not the bent over old man we thought…"

"Oh my God… Mon Dieu!" exclaimed Francis, panicking a little. "It can't be… it.. its impossible…" he uttered."

"What is?" asked Brittany. "Papa, do you know who he was? Do you know?"

Francis nodded. "Yes… yes I think I do…" he gulped. "There's something you need to know…Brittany. I didn't tell anyone about this because it seemed so …farfetched. No one would believe a word of it…"

"Tell me!" Brittany cried. "Please Papa!"

"Your other father was a great inventor, and oh this is going to sound so ridiculous." He said "… he invented… a machine… that could um… take him forwards in time."

"Are you saying… he invented a time machine? For real?"

"I know it's… farfetched but its true. He um… stepped into the machine 17 years ago and vanished. I assumed that he'd had an accident and died. But… the man you describe as defending you Brittany … that was your father…"

She sat there dumbfounded, open mouthed, but clearly believed it. It was an amazing thing to hear, that her Papa Arthur hadn't abandoned them deliberately after all, nor was he dead.

"But…wh…what will we do Papa?" gulped Brittany. "He was taken away by the garrison…"

"We must go and get him of course!" cried Francis, feeling the energy coursing through his body once more. His love for Arthur had remained strong in all this time, and knowing now that he was back, made him feel stronger. However, when they opened the door they were met by Antonio and Ludwig, who stopped them from exiting.

"What has she told you? Where are you going?" he asked.

"I know everything!" cried Francis. "Arthur is back!"

"Really? And what makes you think that was the case? Hm?" he said with a smirk. "The man Brittany saw… was no more than a vagrant… he knocked out the real Butler and took his place. He is being suitably punished." he said and paused, realising that neither Francis nor Brittany believed him. "…and if you try to leave…you will be shot." he said, as he turned to leave. "Brittany… if you try to leave… your Papa Francis will be shot."

"You can't do this to me!" she cried. "If he is my father I have the right to know!"

"You are mistaken Brittany." he said, grabbing he roughly. "And for such insolence you will be grounded till further notice." he continued, as he roughly dragged her back to her bedroom, locking the door from the outside. Francis was escorted along the hall by some soldiers and he wasn't putting up any resistance, as it would have been useless.

"You still think the man was Arthur do you?"

"I know it was." he replied. "I knew there was something familiar about Roachfort… I saw it in his eyes… "

Jealousy filled Antonio's heart as he told him this. "Very well… you'll be placed under lock and key till you see the consequences of your mistake." he uttered. Francis was escorted back to his bedroom and locked in there, with the guards standing outside, as they were also outside Brittany's room.

Antonio was sure that they would change their minds after being locked up for a while, and he wouldn't have to take any further action, though all the while he knew what he was doing was wrong. To block out the guilt and all the other feelings, he decided to get absolutely drunk, so he wouldn't have to face what he had done… it was the only way. Ludwig too, knew it was wrong, but he wanted the marriage between his son Floreat and Brittany, and would do anything to get it.

Meanwhile Arthur was thrown head first into the darkest deepest hole he had ever been in his entire life. It was underground, damp and muddy, and smelled like sickness and all manner of bodily fluids. There might have been a corpse in there with him for all he knew. It was far too dark to see. Sitting there in the gloom, broken and bitter, he cried deeply. Brittany thought he was a coward, and he couldn't even bring himself to reveal his true identity to Francis, and yes it was true he had attacked an old defenceless man… he wasn't the saint he thought he was, and far from it. What if he was in the wrong? Antonio's words echoed in his mind, and he realised he had hurt everyone, especially his own little girl.

"But I am innocent…" he wept. "Will I be redeemed?" he sobbed, knowing that somewhere deep inside, he hadn't meant to hurt anyone.


	9. Because Romeo Did Return

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Romeo comes back alive, but is thrown in the dungeon for trying to escape with Brittany. Now she proves her worth, and shows that she is not just a "girl" to be married to some horrid beastly man...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Listen to "You don't own me" by Lesley Gore for effect

Could things possibly get any worse? Brittany lay in bed sobbing her heart out. Romeo, the boy she loved was dead, and that brief meeting with her Papa England was all she would get. How cruel a fate, that these things should take place. Now she was hearing talk of being forced to marry Floreat. He made her feel ill, and the thought of becoming his wife was horrific.

The night was long, and cold, and she couldn't help but weep over the death of Romeo and the fate that awaited her. Then in he wee small hours of the morning she was awoken from a troubled sleep by the sound of a violin, playing outside, underneath her window. She immediately sat up in bed. It couldn't possibly be Romeo…or could it? Was she hearing things or what? Listening for a moment, she realised there really was someone playing a violin. Hoping against hope, she ran to the window and opened it and there, playing that song "Tammy's in Love" was none other than Romeo.

"Brittany!" he called

"You… you can't be here I must be dreaming!" she said, wanting to shout but trying to be quiet.

"If you must know I did not stay on the plane." he grinned. "Though this does mean I have defied the will of Uncle Ludwig and will incur his wrath no doubt."

"Oh…Romeo…!" she cried. "You are alright!" she said "You and Gilbert are alive!"

"But of course…" he said "Although he may be in Switzerland by now…"

Her face dropped when she realised that he had not got on the plane, but his father had.

"…and what has happened here?" he asked. "This whole place is on lockdown, I couldn't get past the front gate. I thought for a moment they saw me…"

"You don't understand Romeo!" wept Brittany.

"Hold on I'm coming up there…" he said in confusion and concern. In a few moments he had climbed up the side of the building using the climbing Ivy frame, and Brittany let him in through the window.

"Romeo, you can't be here… but I am very very glad you are not dead!" she said trying to whisper and hugged him tight. He held her and smiled. "Why would I be dead..?"

"You don't know do you?"

"Know what?"

"The plane that you should have been on… it…it crashed Romeo… and as far as we know there were no survivors…"

She watched as his face changed, he was in shock, it was impossible. "But…" he uttered and then whimpered. "My…f..father was on that plane…"

Brittany's eyes filled up with tears, as she watched the boy she loved start to cry, he was absolutely heartbroken. "I… I got on the plane but then when I realised my father was asleep, I snuck off again… I didn't manage to get the bags or money or anything…and it took me all day to get back here…" he sobbed.

"Oh Romeo, I am so sorry…" she cried as he took her in his arms. "I didn't know him so well but I always thought he was the nicer brother…"

Romeo sobbed a little, completely shocked. "And…why is everything on lockdown here…?"

"Oh… its just the worst day…" she replied. "They want me to marry Floreat…"

"What?" gasped Romeo "But…they can't do that!"

"They are… and I don't want to Romeo, he's beastly and horrid, and I hate him. He tried to r…rape me…"

There was silence for a few moments whilst Romeo composed himself and tried to think about the situation.

"That's it, you're coming with me… you can't stay here…" he said.

"Where would we go?" uttered Brittany "What will we do?"

"I… I don't know, but leaving you here at their mercy is not an option…"

Brittany hurriedly got dressed and packed a few things in a canvas bag. She had no idea what they were going to do or where they were going to go, but she didn't care. This was the boy she loved and wanted to be with for the rest of her life.

He helped her get down the side of the wall and they ran, hand in hand through the back fields, but just when they thought they would be clear, a searchlight caught them, and the alarm sounded in the barracks. Although they tried to escape, they were soon surrounded by soldiers, and subsequently taken back.

Arthur couldn't get any sleep at all. It was absolutely freezing in the dungeon they had thrown him in, and there was no comfort to be had. He had racked his brains thinking of how he could escape from this hellhole, and nothing had come to him. It was driving him insane… to the point where he was contemplating just ending it all somehow. Once again that all consuming pain had taken over his body, causing him to double up, screaming to high heaven for it to end, and thankfully it did, but he was exhausted by it. All he could think of that was causing it, must be a side effect of travelling through time. He had no idea what would happen, but he knew it seemed to age him a few years each time he got that pain.

As he sat there he heard a commotion outside. He had no idea what time it might be, but someone opened up the grille above him and pushed someone else in there with him. After a few moments, he realised that it was Romeo Beilschmidt, and he just stood and stared at him. The boy screamed out at their captors. "When I get out of here you'll be sorry!" he cried. "You bastards!"

"It is no good screaming…" Arthur said softly. "You won't get out of here…"

"I have to!" he cried. "They're going to make the girl I love marry someone she hates…"

"The girl you love?"

"Her name is Brittany…" Romeo said sadly as he sat down. "She is radiant like the sun, her eyes as green as emeralds…"

Arthur felt happy when he talked of Brittany like that. He continued, not even asking who he was or introducing himself. "She is the light in a world of darkness…" he said. "If you have never been in love you wouldn't understand…" he continued. "I have to get out… I have to take her away from her wretched stepfather…"

"Oh…I have been in love alright…" Arthur replied as he thought of Francis. "Deep all consuming love… the kind of love that tears your heart out and makes you the happiest man in the world all at the same time."

"My name is Romeo Beilschmidt…" he finally said introducing himself, not realising Arthur knew exactly who he was. "And you?"

"Arthur.."

"Pleased to meet you Sir." Romeo replied, obviously not twigging as to the man's real identity.

"Likewise." Arthur replied. "Although…we are most likely not going to get out of here… I've racked my brains to try to think of a way out… I have to conclude that there is none."

"Oh I wouldn't be so sure about that." Romeo uttered as he started pacing the room. "There is only one exit right?"

"The way you came in… through that grate in the roof, and that is bolted on the other side." Arthur replied. "I've already tried scaling the walls, till my fingers bleed." he said. "You'll never get out that way."

"No… but now there are two of us." He said as he took his jacket off.. "And I have an idea." he said as he also took off his pullover. "Take your jacket off Arthur… and your belt…"

Arthur frowned wondering what he could possibly be up to. "What er… what is your idea?"

"When I was at school… I was our regional champion in rope climbing… I also learned how to tie knots, good strong knots." he said as he set about tying the ends of their garments together.

"Wait.. you want to make some sort of a rope?" Arthur asked "What's your plan?"

"Like I said, there are two of us now." He said. "Now if you let me stand on your shoulders, I can throw this around the grate…"

"Oh I get you!" gasped Arthur "Of course, then if you do it right, one of us should be able to climb up there… "

"It's not much Mr Arthur Sir, but it's the only idea I have." he said. "How are you at rope climbing?"

"Well …" he replied. "I have had some experience."

Back at the barracks Antonio sat holding a bottle of some nondescript wine. Brittany sat opposite him looking defiant. She had almost got away from there with Romeo, and now she was back again.

"Why did you try to run away with that boy?" Antonio growled and took a sip of the wine. "You didn't think I'd find out? Hmm?"

Brittany didn't say anything, instead looking down to the ground. Under the table, she held in her had the paper opener, which she had slipped into her sleeve earlier. It was quite sharp, and she was just biding her time…

"Look at me when I'm talking to you!" Antonio drunkenly continued.

"Aren't you glad he's alive?" she uttered. "Won't Ludwig be happy?"

"What did I tell you would happen if you tried to escape, Brittany?" he growled, as the soldiers jostled Francis into the office. He signalled them to leave and then he got hold of a rifle, aiming it at Francis.

"You…wouldn't…" she gasped. "This…this isn't like you…"

Francis stood there terrified, wondering if Antonio really would shoot him. "She''s right Antonio… you…you're a good person. Why are you acting this way?" he asked, even though he was obviously terrified.

Antonio took another swig of the wine. He was so drunk he really didn't know what he was doing. "You don't understand either of you.." he said "If I don't comply with their wishes, then the same fate might happen to me… as did happen to Gilbert…"

"Wh…what? " gasped Francis "What are you talking about?"

"I know who it was planted the bomb…" he slurred.

"But…" Francis began. Antonio shut him up by firing the rifle and just missing him. "No butts." he uttered.

In that moment Brittany took the paper opener in her hand and stabbed Antonio in the shoulder. He screamed out and dropped the rifle, which Brittany immediately picked up. "Don't move Antonio!" she cried. "Papa!" she yelled "Out the window, quickly!"

Surprised at this, Francis immediately complied and opened the window, and out they went, leaving Antonio in there in agony.

"Brittany… you are the daughter of Angleterre alright…" gasped Francis, overwhelmed by her ingenuity, as they ran, this time by any searchlights, although the alarms were going off like crazy. "This is just the sort of mad and wonderful thing he would do when he was a young man."

"Papa! We need to get to what used to be the Tower of London!" she whispered. "Where is that?"

"I know!" he replied. "But..why do you want to go there?"

"I shall explain on the way!" she replied, as they continued to dodge the searchlights. "But Romeo is not dead after all… he's alive…"


	10. Francis is shot

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Antonio is at the mercy of Ludwig, who does everything possible for his son, turning him into a concieted spoilt brat.   
> Romeo and Arthur get out of the hole. Brittany and Francis show up at the Tower but are captured and Francis is shot. Arthur has to make an escape through the sewers with an unconscious Romeo.

"Ugh Dumpkopf…" groaned Ludwig as he beheld Antonio kneeling on the floor clutching his arm. The wound wasn't so bad though, but no one had expected Brittany would have the nerve to do such a thing. "You are such an incompetent…"

"I'm sorry Ludwig." Antonio said "You put your trust in me and I have failed."

"You were lucky to get command of this outpost at all!" screamed Ludwig. "What do I pay you for?"

"I know… I should have been more vigilant…" Antonio uttered. It was clear he was at the mercy of Ludwig, after all it was he who had given him the job. He could be deposed at any moment and he knew it.

"This is a test of your loyalty to Holy Rome." Ludwig said angrily. "And you have failed Antonio. This means immediate dismissal… and you will be sent back to your home in Spain where you belong."

"But… I need this command…" uttered Antonio. "And … what of Floreat's interest in Brittany…? You…you can't send us back…" he said as he stood up. "Look…we'll find them, and everything will be alright."

"Hmm…" Ludwig uttered thoughtfully. One thing he had always done was give young Floreat everything he ever wanted. He had spoiled him, given him money, possessions, everything he demanded. He wanted Brittany and Ludwig had promised him they would be married. He didn't want to upset his son. If only he realised that he was turning the boy into a conceited brat, who got everything he demanded, but he couldn't see it.

"New Holy Rome… I mean… Floreat… wouldn't he be disappointed if Francis and I…along with Brittany, were to be sent away..?"

Ludwig smashed his hand on the table. "I have given you too many concessions already." he roared. "You find that girl and you bring her back or I swear to you, I will strip you of your command." he yelled.

"Yes…yes of course Ludwig, there's no need to um… get this upset about it…"

"You are forgetting Mien Bruder was killed in a plane crash. I am not in the best of moods right now." he said trying to calm down. "I ask you to do one thing… and you can't even do that."

"I will find her… I have the garrison out looking for her and Francis right now, and placed extra guards at the tower… after all that is where they will go… I have no doubt."

"Very well.. you have one last chance." Ludwig said angrily. "I am only doing this for Floreat's sake. He is determined to have her for his wife. Who am I to deny him?"

"You are his father Ludwig…" uttered Antonio quietly.

Ludwig stared at him for a moment, not saying anything. "Find Brittany, or I will." he said in a low voice.

Antonio was left in his office, his arm bleeding and still quite drunk. Nobody understood that he was under the thumb of Ludwig and his precious son, Floreat. He felt like a fool having threatened both Francis and Brittany, but he felt like he didn't have any choice.

It seemed as though everyone was falling under Floreat's influence, ready to give him everything he desired. For a few moments he felt proud of Brittany for fighting against him. Even though he was thinking this way, Antonio drank some more wine and then made a decision, to go out and look for her himself.

Meanwhile, in the dungeon, Romeo was trying his best but try after try to get his makeshift rope through the grille at above them was proving futile. Arthur had tried to support him but he was feeling quite weak and needed to rest. By this time he looked like a man, still young but maybe in his early forties. He was ageing at a terrifying rate, and it was worrying. It was a far cry from what he used to be, though still reasonably strong. The effects of the time travelling were taking their toll on his body but he tried to keep going through the pain.

"Herr Arthur, you seem in pain… are you alright?" Romeo asked.

"I'm… I'm fine…" Arthur replied, dismissing his concern. "One more try?"

"In a moment…" Romeo replied. "You look like you need a rest."

"You must really love that girl…if you are willing to break out of the dungeon for her. As far as I know it has never been done." Arthur said as he sat there quite exhausted.

"It's so strange… I loved her soon as I laid eyes on her." Romeo said as he sat down. "I don't know why or what it was that drew me to her… but I love her and I always will." He said "Doesn't that sound amazing?"

"She…must be quite something." Arthur replied.

"She is indeed." Romeo said and he looked a little sad too, like he was thinking about something.

"My father died today…" he uttered.

Arthur didn't reply, he just looked at him and let him talk while he listened.

"I would be dead too if I'd stayed on the plane…so you see, the universe wants me to be with the girl I love… what other quirk of fate could have brought us together… again?"

"You think you should have died on the plane?" Arthur asked.

"Sometimes I think things happen for a reason Herr Arthur." he replied. "Time and space, its all out of our control, but something is in control. Call it fate, call it luck, call it God… but something wants me and Brittany to be together, and so I was spared." he continued "That's why I believe we'll get out of here." he sighed and looked quite sad. "It is a shame it came at the expense of my father's life…"

Arthur looked away to hide the tears brimming in his eyes, and composed himself again before facing him. "You love your girl that much?"

"I do." he replied.

Arthur couldn't help thinking of how deep his love was for Francis, and also Brittany, and that day he'd helped Francis deliver her into the world. She deserved to be with a man who loved her, and to know what love was all about. In those moments his thoughts turned to Francis, he had to get out, he had to let him know he was alive and hold him in his arms once again.

"Lets try again to get out of here…" he uttered. "I'm ready… get that makeshift rope tied up there.. we can do this."

They kept trying and after a few more attempts, Romeo finally got the "rope" tied around the grille. He climbed up to the top and was able to see through to where the bolt was and with some real effort he managed to undo it. The problem now would be how to open it, but at least he'd got the bolt undone. It would open upwards and that proved to be a difficult thing to accomplish, however Romeo was a resourceful boy. There were a few odd pieces of wood lying around from what he could see and so he managed to get a hold of one before dropping back down into the dungeon again.

"Ok… I unlocked the bolt…" he said. "I hope you don't mind Herr Arthur but I must stand upon your shoulders again." he said brandishing the piece of wood he'd got a hold of. "I am going to try to push the grill upwards to open it…"

"Alright… good luck boy, I hope you can do it…" Arthur replied. He was exhausted but he wanted out of there. Once again he stood upon Arthur's shoulders and pushed the grille with the stick, and it did open. Pulling the makeshift rope to the edge of the grill so it wouldn't close on him again, Romeo hauled himself out of the hole, and sat on the edge of it, then he let the rope down for Arthur to climb up. Eventually they had managed to get out, and Romeo untied the knots and gave Arthur back his jacket and belt, though they were a bit stretched.

"Sorry…" Romeo said. "But we got out right? That's the main thing."

The Englishman looked even more exhausted than ever and he really felt it. His energy was really low and he needed to rest before doing anything else. Romeo was keen to get a move on in case they were discovered so he half dragged him out of there, however, then they had to face the garrison who were guarding the place.

"Shiesse…" grumbled Romeo. "We spend hours trying to get out of there and then we have to deal with this army also…"

After catching his breath Arthur looked around to see if there was any way to get around the guards. They were in what was left of the Tower of London, just the basement and the dungeons, but it was enough to be able to stay out of sight of the army. He espied a potential escape route but it was down a manhole and into the sewers and that didn't look like a very attractive way to get out of there.

"I don't think there's any way we can get past them.. " Arthur said. "We might be stuck…"

"I'm going to try!" Romeo hissed. "I need to get out of here and get to Brittany!"

"Yes but…there are many of them and only two of us…" Arthur said. "It would be better to…"

He didn't get to finish what he was saying. Romeo moved like lightening and attacked the nearest guard who was sitting reading something, and not paying attention to the others. He stole the mans' handgun and knocked him out, then dragged him to the hole and threw him into it.

"Come on old man!" he said "There's only thirty more… " he said to Arthur as he came back, and motioned to him to follow.

"Romeo I really think you ought to…"

Outside there was a bit of a commotion. They had been told to watch out for Brittany and Francis, and it so happened that they had found their way to the Tower and were outside, and it seemed someone had spotted them there.

They hid as best they could behind a wall and tried to stay out of sight but it was like the whole of London was on alert looking for them.

"We will never get there Brittany!" cried Francis "They have the entire army out looking for us… it is impossible."

"I'm not giving up!" Think about poor Romeo in that dungeon… all alone…" Brittany replied. "I can't just give up on him Papa!"

"But this is impossible." he replied. "We could be sh…"

Just as he said that shots rang out in the night and Francis was hit in the chest, and down he went, in pain and screaming out. "Aaagh…" he uttered clutching at his breast, as blood seeped through his shirt. "No… no… "

"Papa!" screamed Brittany running to him.

"It is hopeless…" he gasped, the pain overtaking him. He held on to his daughter, and she laid him on the ground before he lost consciousness. He was thankfully still breathing but he needed help. "Papa!" she cried. "No… you can't die…Papa….!"

Seeing no way around the situation. Brittany came out with her hands up. It was the only way to get help for her Papa France, but it meant she would never see her Romeo again. She knew this, but she just couldn't see a way to get to him.

Whilst the soldiers were distracted, Romeo thought he saw his chance but as he was about to get out of there, he was hit from behind by someone, one of the garrison who had heard something going on. Romeo was knocked out and some of the other soldiers were coming to help with moving him.

"How the hell did he get out?" one asked.

"I don't know…" another one replied. "Lets get him back in…"

That was when Arthur sprung into action. After Romeo going to all that trouble to get them out of there he wasn't going to let them throw him back in. He picked up the hand gun that was lying on the ground and with the butt of the gun, knocked out both of the guards, without having to fire a shot. He could hear the voice of Antonio Carriedo as he arrived at the Tower, and was speaking to some the guards at the entrance. "There is a possibility Monsieur Bonnefoy and his daughter will show up here…" he was saying, and then there was a shot… and a commotion outside.

Now it was his turn to find a way out, and he knew exactly what to do. The manhole route was going to be the only way, but now he had to drag an unconscious Romeo with him, as he showed no signs of waking up. "Alright…" he uttered and summoned up all his strength. "I will do this… for my daughter, she deserves you… " he said to himself and to Romeo who obviously was out for the count. "Here goes…"

He could hear the approach of the guards and he had to get down there quickly. He hauled Romeo's unconscious body down the manhole and closed it, just as Antonio got there. The Spaniard was surprised to see the grille to the dungeon open and no sign of Arthur or Romeo, and no way they could have got out of there. He was dumbfounded at this. How could they possibly have got out of there?

"What the hell?" he uttered "It's impossible…"

"Implausible you dolt.." whispered Arthur to himself. He could hear everything that was being said and he was being as quiet as possible.

"Where could they have gone?" he asked around the garrison, then he saw two of the soldiers were knocked out. They would take some time to come round, it was clear, and no one had seen them leave.

"They must be here somewhere!" Yelled Antonio. "Find them."

Just then a young man ran into the Tower basement and he was out of breath. "They've found Monsieur Bonnefoy and his daughter… " he gasped. "They are going to take them back to the barracks Sir!" he said.

"Good… we can finally put an end to this charade…" Antonio replied.

"But Sir, unfortunately, Monsieur Bonnefoy was hit…"

"What do you mean he was hit?"

"Shot sir… through the chest… he's still alive but they don't know if he'll make it…"

"Well who the hell shot him?" yelled Antonio. "I said capture, not shoot to kill!"

Antonio ran out of there quickly, and left the scene as Arthur who was listening, couldn't believe his ears. Monsieur Bonnefoy was shot, at least that's what he thought he heard.

"Francis… oh no…" he uttered, his mind and heart filled with worrying thoughts and all kinds of fear flowed through him. "Oh God please let him be okay!"


	11. Through the Sewer

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Brittany reluctantly agrees to marriage with Floreat. Arthur hauls Romeo out the sewer, and Gilbert might just still be alive...

Brittany sat by her Papa France's bedside. He hadn't woken up since he had been shot the night before, and now they were being held captive in the barracks. Luckily he had been given medical treatment and was now supposedly recovering. Guards stood outside the door, and round the back at the window should they try to escape. She held his hand and prayed for him to wake up.

Floreat entered the room and she immediately tensed up, letting go of her Papa's hand.

"What do you want?" she said hardly looking at him.

"I heard your Papa France was shot and…and I wanted to see how he was and …and how you are." he said with fake humility. "Are you alright?"

"I'm surprised you are interested… or that you even care." she replied. "If you must know he is not awake yet…and I don't know if he ever will…"

"Why did you try to leave, Brittany?" asked Floreat kneeling down beside her. "I don't understand why you act this way… look… I am trying to apologise." he said. "I may have had too much to drink and… moved too quickly, but it won't happen again."

She knew just by his tone of voice that his apology was fake. He had obviously been talked into it by someone, perhaps one of his parents or both. She didn't look at him, just tended to her Papa France.

"I want you to come with me, just for a moment, it won't take long." he said. "My father wishes to speak with you."

She didn't want to speak with him, but because of the nights events, she also didn't want to make trouble, so, giving her Papa France a kiss on his forehead she left with Floreat, always on her guard should he try anything.

"Leave us Floreat." Ludwig said when he brought her to see him. "I just want a word with Brittany alone."

"Yes father." he replied and dutifully left the room, although he did listen from outside.

Brittany waited to hear what Ludwig had to say, but she was sure it wasn't going to be anything good.

"Miss Bonnefoy…" he began. "I'm sure you are aware I knew your Papa England well… and your Papa France… you might even call us friends."

"I am Sir."

"Your Papa England would want the best for you, do you not agree?"

"Why don't we ask him?" she uttered. "I know he's back… I know what happened to him."

Ludwig paused and shook his head. "No, you are mistaken. That man you believe you saw was a vagrant… not your father."

"Then why was he defending me against your son?" she said as she sat there, hardly looking at him.

"Floreat acknowledges that he went a little too far. However we are confident that you got him all wrong. It would be a real tragedy, should anything happen to the people you love wouldn't it young Brittany? And you would want them all to live… as I want them to live." he said, but his tone of voice was sinister. She took that to mean a threat.

"Now… my son wishes to say something to you… so I will send him in…" he said as he left the room, and Floreat returned. As he entered, he came to her and got down on one knee, showing her the most beautiful silver and obsidian ring.

"Brittany Bonnefoy… will you marry me?" he asked.

Her heart was in her mouth, and she wanted to be sick. How could he even think this? Remembering what Ludwig said, she felt pressured into agreeing, but the words would not pass her lips. She lowered her eyes and closed them to stop the tears coming.

"I ask you again Brittany… will you marry me?"

Sadly she nodded and eventually a small sound escaped her lips. She knew that she was not doing this for love, but for her Papa France, for her Papa England, and for the safetly of poor Romeo.

"Y..yes…" she uttered. Floreat placed the ring upon her finger and took her in his arms, kissing her roughly, forcefully, but she could not fight back. This time he did not try to take it further, though she could see in his eyes he would have, if he had not been warned off by perhaps his father. She realised she had signed up for a lifetime of what could turn out to be horrible abuse. Was there no way to free herself from this beast?

"In a two days… Brittany… I will be crowned the New Holy Rome…" he said. "And you and I will be married.." he grinned "You shall be an Empress…"

Arthur dragged the unconscious Romeo through the sewer, and he was quite heavy but he had to get him to safety. It took most of the day in there, finding his way through to an exit, before he managed to find one, but the sewer was absolutely disgusting and both of them were covered in excrement and all manner of fluids, by the time they got out of there, he had already thrown up several times. Eventually he was able to drag him out and into the fresh air and thankfully it was raining, not just a shower either, a thunderstorm. As he exited with Romeo, on his shoulder, the rain fell down, washing away all that was disgusting. They were in a shallow pool where the sewer outlet exited near the Thames, and not far away from where the Kirkland mansion used to be, but there was a long climb up the side of a dam to get there. Washing everything that was disgusting from his person, and from Romeo, he contemplated the side of the Dam, and there was a ladder there, but he'd have to carry the boy up there.

"Oh well…what must be done… must be done…" he sighed and hauled Romeo on to his shoulder again before starting his ascent. It took a long time to get up to the top of the ladder, maybe little over half an hour of climbing, however when he got there, soaked from the rain and tired from hauling Romeo up there, he heard the click of a gun and a familiar Spanish voice address him.

"There you are. I knew there was only one way out of the dungeon, through the sewer, and I was right of course."

Arthur sighed. He was tired, fatigued, and really had enough by now, not to mention soaked through to the skin. He had been through hell, and this was just too much.

"What are you going to do? Shoot me? Kill me?" he asked. "All for what? Allegience to Ludwig and his son… is that it?" Arthur asked, laying Romeo down. He was still unconscious. "So why aren't you with Francis? Don't you love him anymore? You are so obsessed with finding and killing me you have left him alone?"

"Francis doesn't…" Antonio began but didn't finish. He looked down, and even a little guilty about everything.

"What were you about to say? Francis doesn't love you?" Arthur asked. "Don't even say it, I know he doesn't…" he said. "You have your chance Antonio, we are both helpless. Romeo is unconscious and I … I don't have the strength in me to fight anymore." he said. "We are at your mercy."

Antonio's conscience and sobriety caught up with him and he lowered his gun, started to cry and broke down in front of him. "I did everything for them… for Francis… and Brittany." he said "And he paid me back with nothing but betrayal… he always loved you Arthur." he continued. "Where have you been all this time?"

"I…can't tell you that…" he replied. "…thank you for…taking care of them…"

"What else could I do? I honestly loved Francis but he… he… just didn't love me." he wept, his tears mingling with the rain.

"Antonio… I wish there was something I could do…" Arthur said. For a while there was a silence.

"There isn't anything." he finally replied. "I'm sorry…" he uttered. "I just wanted to do what was right… I wanted the best for them… and it turned out wrong." he said. "Now your innocent daughter is being forced to marry someone she'll never love, and I can't do anything about it, its gone too far, everything has been arranged. In two days time he'll be crowned Emperor, and they'll be wed" he continued. "All for the glory of the New Holy Rome…"

"Why don't you stand up to them? Fight them?" Arthur asked sincerely. "We can do this together!"

"No we can't." he said aiming the gun once again at him.

Arthur sighed and picked up Romeo's unconscious body again, hauling him over his shoulder, and walked away without incident. Antonio did not shoot, instead he threw the gun away, into the dam and pulled himself up to the edge. Standing there in the rain, he despaired of a lifetime lost through misplaced faith, and took one step forward…

Having no idea of what Antonio had just done, Arthur continued almost buckling under the weight of Romeo, towards the little outbuilding of what used to be his mansion, that wasn't too far away, and at least there he could leave the boy somewhere to recover, whilst he went to see Francis, he had to see him, but he had to get back into the barracks unseen.

As he was going along the country road, in the rain, trying to get to his cottage, a large black car stopped in front of them, and after a few moments someone got out, and it was someone he recognised. Gilbert, who everyone thought had died in the plane crash, somehow he was still alive.

"Gilbert?" Arthur gasped. "Is it…you?"

Later that night, Arthur made his way to the barracks, which as he suspected was guarded well, front and back. He didn't know how he was going to get in there to see Francis, to find out if he was ok… and if there would be any way he could stop that wretched wedding.

After some thought, he decided that overcoming the one guard at the back of the house would be fairly easy, and then he could climb up to the window. It was a large window, with doors and it had a balcony, so he would be able to get in that way.

Francis lay in bed, half awake and half asleep, the pain in his chest was indescribable and he found it a little difficult to breathe. He drifted in and out of consciousness… one moment the room was empty, and the next someone was sitting by his bedside, someone he knew.

"A…Arthur…" he uttered, as a tear escaped his eye, rolling down his cheek, as he looked at him, the emotion in his voice was prevalent. "You're alive…"

"I am love… I am…" he replied and took his hand. "I had to come and see you…"

"Why didn't you… tell me who you were…?" Francis said through tears. "You could have told me…"

"I realise that now Francis. Forgive me my darling… I was a coward… a stinking coward. I hate myself for what I have done to you and Brittany…" he whispered in husky tones. "You should always have been my first priority… not the machine… not the future… but you… and Brittany. I have been an idiot…"

"I have missed you so much…" Franics wept, sobbing deeply. "Seventeen years… "

"I know… and yet it has only been a few days for me." he replied. "I would have revealed myself but… what would you have thought if I just appeared on the doorstep… as if nothing had happened?" he continued. "I really can't forgive myself."

Shaking, Francis reached out for him to embrace him, which he did and it was beautiful to feel his arms around him again. Although Francis was weak he held him tight and close, sobbing into his chest. "I'm so glad to see you again…" he cried.

Arthur held him and cried too, wishing he had never left him in the first place. "I love you so much my darling…" he said softly. "You're beautiful now as you were then, and always will be… "

As he held him, Francis lost consciousness in his arms and his breathing altered, his lips turned blue and he looked to be in a bad way.

"F…Francis…?" whimpered Arthur "Francis.. wake up…please wake up… " he uttered, hugging him, and trying to make him wake up. "Francis! Francis!" he cried.

They heard him and the door opened, Ludwig stood there with his spoilt brat of a son, Floreat.

"Get him!" yelled Ludwig, and Floreat launched himself into the room, keen to beat him up, but Arthur ran as fast as he could out of the window, and over the balcolny, rolling over on the ground. He ran away from there before he could be caught, or captured, though the pain in his body was great, and he was crying, he kept going, into the cold dark night.


	12. Tears of a Coward?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur is devastated and feels really hurt and guilty about being a coward, Francis is getting better and Romeo and Gilbert are alright...

Arthur ran for some time before he finally stopped, in the middle of what used to be London. Antonio was right, he was an absolute coward. He had ran away from Francis, from Ludwig and his spoilt brat of a son, instead of staying and fighting, and facing up to everything. This was horrible, the feelings of guilt and pain inside were eating him up. London was a mess, and his daughter was set to marry the personification of a New Holy Roman Empire… and Arthur hated himself. He could feel that pain again, that had plagued him since he went into the machine. Something was terribly wrong, and he collapsed to the ground in tears, as his body aged so much faster than it should have. The Englishman now held the appearance of a man who was nearly 50 years of age, although he still looked like himself. He hoped that Francis was alright, that he hadn't died of that bullet wound and that he would wake up again. His heart beat only for Francis, for he loved him like no other. "What have I done to you Francis?" he wept "What have I done to you?"

Romeo awoke in a hotel room somewhere in London, it wasn't much but it was warm and dry and in the same room sat Gilbert, waiting for his son to wake up.

"Romeo." he said quietly as the young man sat up. He had just the worst headache, but was it real, was Gilbert really still alive?

"Father?" he gasped "You survived…"

"I have a knack for staying alive…" he said with a small smile. "As do you it seems."

"I… thought you were asleep so I got off the plane." he replied.

"I didn't stop you… I knew what you were doing." Gilbert replied with a distinctive little laugh. "And then I got off before the plane took off… but our bags were still on it… and some investigation later found that it was your bag that had the bomb in it…"

Alarmed, Romeo, sat right up straight. "But it couldn't have been, I didn't do it, I swear to God I wouldn't do a thing like that!"

"Don't worry I know…" Gilbert replied. "Analysis later proved that there were other fingerprints inside the bag that didn't belong to you. But I know who they did belong to… "

"I … can tell you who I think they belong to…" Romeo replied. "But you're not going to like it…"

"Floreat." Gilbert said. "I knew he was a little bastard from day one… and Ludwig gave him everything, whatever he wanted." he continued. "What could I do? I'm not even relevant anymore… neither a state, nor a country nor a nation…"

"I…get it … you know." Romeo said as he got up and gave Gilbert a hug. "You pretend things don't bother you, and you say you're so awesome, and you put on a front… but I know, inside you're a wise and decent person…else I would have turned out wrong wouldn't I?" he said "I would have turned out like a spoilt brat just like Floreat…"

His father embraced him, showing a gentler side than he had seen recently. "Are you feeling much better Romeo?"

"I .. I am but… I don't understand how I got out of that dungeon… " he said "There was someone else with me…" he continued as he remembered as much as he could. "Someone called Arthur… he got me out didn't he?"

"I was out on the road, trying to get back to the barracks. I suspected Floreat from the beginning and wanted the results of he investigation before I would go and give the findings to Ludwig… and as I was going to the barracks I saw …Arthur… and he had you with him… " Gilbert said "Yes he got you out…" he continued "And then as I brought you back here, he left again… because he said he had something to do… I hope he did whatever he had to do."

"I suppose we'll never find out anything about him… who he is… " Romeo began. "But whoever he was… he saved my life… and I must save Brittany from Floreat…"

"Romeo… Arthur is Brittany's father…" Gilbert said "he'd been missing presumed dead for 17 years…"

"What?" Romeo gasped. "Looks like you and I are not the only one's who are good at staying alive." He said "But…where was he all this time? Do you know?"

"I don't think anyone will ever know… and he wasn't ready to tell me yet either." he said as he looked out of the window at the devastation of London. "I do know that he was a great inventor, and Francis believed he died in his laboratory… but also know this Romeo. Niether you, nor Brittany, nor Floreat would have ever existed without him."

Romeo listened, not sure whether to be amused or horrified when he found out that Arthur Kirkland wanted to become a male mother but his miracle chemical helped impregnate half of Europe. It was both funny and tragic at the same time.

"What was he thinking of?" he uttered. "But… that explains the way he is… I mean… doesn't want to give too much away, he didn't tell me was Brittany's other father… " he said. "Well it makes it all the more poignant in a way…."

A moment later the phone rang in the room and Gilbert answered it. Not surprisingly it was Arthur on the other end of the phone. He didn't sound good though, perhaps out of breath, or exhausted and crying. "Gilbert!" he said "Is it you?"

"Ja." Gilbert replied. "Have you done what you had to do?"

"Tell Romeo… if he wants to save Brittany… the marriage is set to happen in two days time." he said. "I can't do any more…"

"Give me the phone!" Romeo said. He had heart what Arthur was saying, and roughly took the receiver from Gilbert.

"Arthur!" he said "You're her father!"

"Yes…" came the weakened voice on the other end. He paused, still obviously in tears. "You've got to look after her okay? Promise me you will…"

"Arthur… where are you? You sound terrible…"

"Promise me you'll look after my little girl…" he said with urgency in his voice.

"I promise…" Romeo replied as the dial tone came on suddenly. Arthur had put the phone down.

At the barracks, the doctor had just finished examining Francis and he looked relieved. Brittany sensed the hope in his eyes and waited outside the door for the news.

"Doctor, will he be alright?" she asked.

"The good news is, he is over the worst of it…" he said with a smile. "Soon he will be up and about again.. but he is going to need a few weeks before he'll be able to do anything…"

Brittany thanked the doctor and went in to see Francis who was by now sitting up in bed and looking much better than he did a few hours previously.

"Papa!" she cried "You're going to be alright… the doctor seems to have given you the all clear…" she said and hugged him. "I was so worried for you…"

Francis sighed and took his daughters hand in his own. "I have something to tell you…" he said through his breathing was still a little laboured. "Arthur was here…"

"I know…" she said lowering her head. "Ludwig and Floreat were furious… I had to listen to it, how they were going to have him captured and… it was horrible. I hope they don't find him…"

"He risked his life to come to my bedside…" Franics uttered. "I love him so much…I have to find him…" he said and tried to move.

"You can't.. you're not well enough…" Brittany said trying to be sensible. "You have to stay in bed and get well."

"I'm worried for him…" he said "He was broken… he said he hated himself… he said he was ashamed and that he was a coward…" Francis cried. "He's not a coward, I have to tell him so. You don't know what thinking that way will do to him Brittany…"

"What do you mean?" she uttered

"Everyone has their triggers… and that was one of his. He hates being thought of in that way… it really gets to him…" he said. "It hurts him…"

"There you are lying in bed having been shot and you're weak and everything, and all you can think about is Arthur…" sighed Brittany. "You really do love him don't you? Though you may be in such a bad way you want to be with him… and I understand that now." she said. "But you really can't… and I can't… "


	13. A Lifetime Faded

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Feliciano gifts a brand new time machine to precious Floreat. Arthur is ageing rapdly and dying, and Francis comes to him. Romeo is thinking of how he can stop the wedding.

"Floreat!" called Feliciano as he was going past the drawing room. "Can you come in here for a moment please?"

Dutifully the young German did as he was bid and went in to see what his other father wanted.

"Now… that you are about to assume your authority as the New Holy Rome, there is something I need to tell you." he said, being sort of mysterious. "You know that you are a superman compared to these mere mortals…"

"Yes father." He replied and smiled fondly. "You are being secretive… "

"There is something you must see. Something that will give you power over every country in the entire world. Ludwig and I have been keeping it a secret until now. However tomorrow you will be crowned Emperor, and this is our gift to you." he said, getting a set of keys from a drawer in the desk. "Come with me Floreat… you are going to love this present."

Floreat followed Feliciano along the corridor to a small door which he knew led to the basement, but he had never been down there because the door was always locked.

"A few years ago, before you were born, I worked for Brittany's father for a few months… and when I worked there I was involved in an incident…" he said. "What nobody realises is that I may act like I don't know what I am doing, but people are wrong…" he said.

"What kind of incident?" Floreat asked as he led him down the steps.

"A time travel incident…" he replied. "I was sent back to the 1500s, and I assure you it was not a good time for me…I am still traumatised…"

"But… how did you get back? I mean… if you were sent back to the 1500s?" Floreat asked, still not really believing what his father was telling him.

"This is why I am going to show you this… then I will tell you how I got back." he said unlocking another door. They went inside and there was a rebuilt and updated version of the machine. It had silver coated parts and a large chamber in the middle, big enough for a human being to stand up in.

"What…is …that?" Floreat asked, completely over awed.

"That…Floreat, is a time machine." Feliciano said with a big smile. "And I am showing you this because it was you who came back in time and rescued me from a fate worse than death."

"So…I somehow at some point…go back in time and rescue you?" gasped Floreat, still over awed by what he was looking at.

"You came back in time, and took me from the clutches of …England… and returned me to my time. Then I set about getting the blueprints for this machine which Arthur had in his laboratory, and I took them to Ludwig, and for the past few years, we have been working on it. This is your gift from me my dear son Floreat… and this will enable you to have whatever you want when we are no longer around… this will make you all powerful!" he said "Imagine the possibilities!"

"I am…" he gasped "I am!"

"In order for it to work, you need to have this crystal in place…" Feliciano said as he took a stick of a quartz crystal from a small outlet in the machine. This goes into the slot like so, and you push it shut… and then the machine should…fire up…"

A moment later the machine did indeed fire up, creating strange music as it did so, and the chamber opened up to receive anyone who would step in.

"As far as we are aware, it works." Feliciano said as he pressed a little button on the side of the machine and the crystal was ejected. "When this is open, it will not work, but when this is closed, it works like a dream!"

Soon Floreat and Feliciano exited the basement, sworn to secrecy for what was down there. Of course Ludwig knew as well. He was sure this would make him into almost a God, if he had control over time and space.

Arthur had slowly made his way to the outbuilding of his destroyed mansion, he was ageing at a terrifying rate now, and was finding it hard to think straight, to even move, but there it was, he had made it. Perhaps it was time to die, after all, he couldn't do what he needed to, he was physically incapable. Every muscle in his body ached. Stumbling into the cottage, he caught sight of himself in the mirror, his hair was grey, his skin wrinkled, and his eyes tired.

"What?" he gasped, unable to take in what he was seeing. This was a catastrophe, but he didn't know what to do about it. Sadly he sat down on the sofa and sat back, feeling so weak and lost.

Francis lay in his bed, his chest aching and not just because of the bullet wound. It was as though he could feel Arthur's emotions, his pain, and it had become his own. At 2pm in the afternoon, when he was alone, and his carers, and also Brittany, were out of the room, Francis realised he had to find Arthur. The urgency was so great that nothing would have stopped him. He got out of bed and got dressed. It wasn't easy because he was in pain too, but he managed finally to get his clothes on. He knew he wouldn't be able to get out of there by conventional means, so he had a plan. He hid from sight at the other end of the room, behind the curtains and waited.

At 2.30 pm a nurse entered the room and saw that his bed was empty.

"Monsieur Bonnefoy is gone!" She cried out and caused a distraction, Ludwig was angry as hell and yelling, and whilst the guards were called away from their posts, to search outside, Francis slipped down the stairs unnoticed and out of the back door. He knew where he had to go, the only place Arthur would go to, the ruins of his mansion. He was absolutely sure that was where he would be.

He wanted to take Brittany with him but that was impossible, as she was being held prisoner. Torn between wanting to protect Brittany and seeing Arthur again, he eventually made the decision to go to him, to find him. Not that he was going to abandon their daughter, but the urge to find him was so strong, he simply had to go.

Hours later, having made his way to the little outbuilding of what used to be the mansion, Francis saw that there was a light on, and someone was there. Instinctively he knew it was Arthur, it had to be him.

Arthur had the appearance now of a very old man, though he still felt like himself, only, so very very tired. When Francis made his way inside, he saw the state he was in and stopped, gazing in shock at the state of the man he loved. When he looked up however, he could see that it was definitely Arthur, but something terrible was happening to him.

"Mon Cher…" he gasped. "What has happened?" he said as he moved closer and sat down next to him on the sofa.

"Francis…" Arthur said softly as old and soulful green eyes looked out from behind the face of an old man. "It's a side effect of time travel… I…I don't have long." he whispered, as a tear rolled down his cheek. "I am ageing rapidly… and there is nothing I can do about it…"

"Arthur…" Francis sobbed, and dropped a tear. He knew the man he loved was dying. It was so terribly and horribly sad, and his heart broke just to look at him. "Oh Mon Cher…" he cried as he held the old man in his arms. Arthur sank his head into the crook of Francis' neck, comforted by him, and needing to feel his love so much. Francis gently stroked his grey hair and cried softly, as did Arthur, for a lifetime lost, that he should have spent with Francis and their daughter.

"I wanted to tell you, that you were never a coward Arthur…" Francis uttered in sobbing whispers. "You were and are the most incredible man I have ever met… and I love you now and always."

"You are the love of my life Francis… my great love…" Arthur cried, his voice going higher, and faltering. "Stay with me … won't you?"

"Oui Mon Cher… " whispered Francis, holding him close, stroking his hair. "Je t'aime…" he whispered. "For eternity…"

Romeo had been stalking out the barracks for most of the day but even he didn't see Francis leave, though Brittany knew he was gone, but she could not follow him. They were watching her every move, because the great and powerful Floreat must have his bride.

As he watched from outside, Romeo could not see a way to get in, and he didn't want to risk getting caught and thrown into the dungeon again. Perhaps he would have better luck the next day when they were all to go somewhere secret for the ceremonies. He knew that Floreat would be made Emperor, and then he would be scheduled to marry Brittany immediately afterwards. He made up his mind to come back in the morning, and stop the wedding, somehow he knew he had to do it, and his faith in the universe meant that he believed he would.

"Have you decided what you are going to do Romeo?" Gilbert asked as he stood behind him. "Because I was thinking I could maybe go and confront Mein Bruder with the evidence that his son tried to kill us. Ludwig has no problem with killing when it's a war… but if he found out Floreat tried to kill me and you, that it was his fault, then it might make some difference."

"Not yet father." he said. "Something tells me we need to wait and pick the right time to do that." he said. "I doubt uncle Ludwig is in the mood to listen to our evidence right now." he continued.

"You may be right." Gilbert replied. "If I know him he'll see it as a plot for you to woo Brittany away from his precious Floreat."

"Tomorrow… " Romeo uttered, the anger in his voice was prevalent. "He will never be made Emperor, and if I have my way he will not marry Brittany either… "


	14. Temporal Rewind

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Arthur dies of his old age problem, but Brittany is saved from the clutches of the New Holy Roman Emperor, Floreat Beilschmidt, and they get to Arthur and Francis just before they both die... except things are not quite what they seem. Sometimes an hallucination can seem very much like reality...

All morning servants and the like had fussed over Brittany's dress to turn her into the perfect bride for Floreat. The dress was pure white silk and lace, with a veil that had been made especially for her, so it was clear they had planned this wedding for quite some time.

Brittany however was silent and didn't want to go through with this charade. She would never love Floreat no matter what he said or did, and she was doing this for the people she loved. Papa France, Papa England and for Romeo, so that they would not be harmed. She had seen what happened to people who apparently went against the wishes of so called Holy Rome, against the all powerful Floreat.

A wedding, but not the wedding she would have hoped for dreamed, with both her parents present, to a man she would adore for the rest of her life. A forced marriage with a man that she hated, a man who had tried to force himself upon her more than once, and all for the sake of him wanting authority over France and England, just to increase his damned Empire. No one had seen Antonio for a couple of days and they were getting worried, but nothing was going to keep this wedding from happening. If neither he nor Francis could not be found then it would be Feliciano who would give her away, so to speak. She felt quite powerless, but knew this had to be done… even if it was against her will.

The Cathedral chosen for both ceremonies to be held one after the other was St. Pauls, although the dome was broken and open to the elements, it was still the finest one in England, and on a sunny day, with all the amazing flowers and decorations, it looked quite beautiful.

Floreat dressed in a red velvet robe and yellow tunic for his crowning ceremony, and then to marry his chosen bride. He looked decidedly Roman, but that's how he wanted it, and that is how both of his parents wanted it.

Romeo waited for his chance to do something, hoping that there would be some way to interfere with the entourage as they exited the army barracks on the way to the Cathedral, but there were so many soldiers and people milling about that it was impossible, and he was not the one to use explosives or firearms to get what he wanted. This was frustrating, as everything seemed to be going Floreat's way. How was he going to do this?

"Gilbert however had already made his way to the Cathedral and the staff there had unquestioningly let him in. Perhaps he could do something from inside here…perhaps not, but his brother was going to get quite a shock when he saw him. He laughed to himself in anticipation of this, and wondered how the day would turn out.

Soon the ceremony began. Unfortunately Romeo had no way of getting to Floreat, or to Ludwig or anyone, it had just proven impossible, even though he had spent hours planning what moves he could make. Unchallenged, Floreat entered the Cathedral to begin his inauguration ceremony and be made, not only New Holy Rome itself, but the actual Emperor. The Cathedral was packed with VIPs and anyone that Ludwig and Feliciano had considered important, so many people had turned up.

The overly self important Floreat was led to the front of the knave where the ritual began, and everyone including Gilbert watched, wishing that he could do something about this. He saw nothing ahead but bad times, danger, and a conceited vile Emperor in Floreat.

As the ceremony began, and the golden leaved crown was lowered unto his head, Gilbert had to stand up and say something.

"I object to this crowning!" he yelled. Everyone in the Cathedral gasped loudly and Ludwig stared at him wide eyed, both happy to see him and scared at the same time.

Gilbert rushed to the podium and proclaimed aloud that not only was Floreat guilty of killing hundreds of innocent people, but he had attempted to murder him, and Romeo.

"I am telling you now, the evidence points to him as being the one who planted the bomb in our luggage. He does not deserve the crown he is wearing. "

"What are you saying Gilbert…? He tried to kill you? What evidence do you have?"

In the meantime, Romeo was chasing after the carriage that was taking Brittany to her fate, but he couldn't keep up and with there being so many people, it was impossible to do anything. However he kept going and eventually they reached the Cathedral where Gilbert was trying to convince Ludwig and everyone else of Floreat's guilt, of what he had done. Even when he handed Ludwig the evidence on paper he dismissed it.

"This is your doing Gilbert!" he hissed. "I never thought you would stoop so low… you only want to strip my son of his entitlement and Emperor and have his bride for your idiot son Romeo. I will not have it… Floreat deserves this…" he roared. Without giving him any leeway, to answer, he ordered that the garrison should take him back to the barracks immediately pending further instruction, and although he protested, he was dragged away. The people in the Cathedral watching, however, were confused and some of them were talking about how they didn't want a murderer being in control of everything.

"Remain calm." Ludwig said as he tried to calm everyone down. "Mein Bruder is out to cause trouble… he does not understand the way things are… "

Eventually everyone was quiet, but doubt had been cast in their minds about this charismatic new Emperor.

Next the wedding ceremony was to be performed and Brittany arrived at the entrance, amid a great fanfare and so much pomp, so much going on, that Romeo was beginning to think he wouldn't be able to do anything.

Feliciano led the poor girl down the aisle, towards her future husband who now looked more regal than ever in his golden leaved crown. She just wanted to be sick but still she walked slowly down the aisle. Looking up she could see blue skies through what used to be St. Pauls, and a couple of doves flew overhead.

She stood there waiting for the archbishop to marry them when suddenly from behind them she could hear violin music, but not just any violin music, it was that same tune that Romeo had played for her a few times already, his beautiful rendition of "Tammy's in love."

There was a complete hush in the Cathedral as he played, beautiful and mesmerising, echoing the talent he had inherited from his Austrian father.

Brittany turned to see him there though Floreat immediately grabbed her arm, she slapped him hard.

"What are you doing?" he roared angrily. "You want to go with him and be his little whore do you?"

She knew she could never marry a man as vile as Floreat Beilschmidt, whether he was an Emperor or not.

"I would rather be his whore than your wife…" she said defiantly.

"BRITTANY!" he cried. "Don't' do it… that man is a murderer, a vile sadistic murderer and we can prove it."

Ludwig sent a few soldiers after him but he dodged them as best he could.

"It was he who planted that bomb on the plane that almost killed myself and my father, he did it, there's no question."

"Capture that man!" Yelled Ludwig, but the soldiers were reluctant to do as he asked. Killing in a war, or in battle was one thing, but to murder people on a civilian airplane was another. The next thing they knew, the soldiers, and some of the people in the Cathedral were standing up, and moving towards the podium, against Holy Rome, against all of them…the fighting spirit of England was back… and it could be felt all around.

Romeo ran to Brittany and took her hand. "Let's get out of here before things get rough…" he said and with that he dragged her out of there, as the soldiers and the people moved towards Ludwig and Floreat, now unable to accept them as their rulers.

"Wait Romeo… Romeo!" she cried as they exited the Cathedral. "We need to find Papa France and Papa England… and I think I know where they might be.

Gilbert had been taken to the barracks where he was supposed to be kept under lock and key, but he had escaped their clutches and was hiding wherever he could in the main house. Breaking into the basement he found somewhere to hide, and waited till the commotion died down. However, what he was about to discover, he didn't really understand. The new time machine lay before him, and he had no idea what it was, or what to do with it, but something drew him to the quartz crystal which he took from the machine.

In the little cottage, where Francis and Arthur sat together, in an embrace, Francis believed now that these would be Arthurs last moments. He was very weak, and frail, and could hardly lift his head from Francis' shoulder. He didn't want him to anyway, he just wanted to stay like that for as long as possible. He stroked Arthur's hair tenderly and held him.

"I don't want to lose you Mon Cher…" he whispered. "You gave me a beautiful daughter, you tried so hard for us…" he continued. "I love you with all that I have… and I wish I could bring you out of this malady…"

"The end is coming…" sighed Arthur. "I can feel it…"

"Mon Cher…" wept Francis holding him tighter. "Fight it …please…"

At that moment someone entered the cottage, Francis turned to see Brittany there, hand in hand with Romeo.

"Brittany!" he cried as both she and Romeo took in the sight of Arthur, looking so old and frail, and Francis' tearful eyes as he held him. "He's dying…"

"Tell her to come closer…" whispered Arthur. "I need to see my daughter…"

Brittany heard him and didn't wait to be called over, she knelt in front of both of them, completely shocked and upset. "No Papa Arthur… no…" she uttered. "What's happening to him?"

"I don't know…" Francis replied. "He says its an effect of time travelling… but I really don't know…"

"One day…" Arthur uttered. "One day, you and your husband might have a little boy… and he'll have a mop of blonde hair, and the biggest stupidest eyebrows you've ever seen…" he wheezed, trying to smile. "He might be a naughty little rascal as a child… but be kind… and maybe you can call him Arthur…hmm?"

"Of course I will Papa…" Brittany wept. "I didn't marry Floreat… Romeo saved me…"

Romeo too, ran to them and knelt in front of them with Brittany. "I saved her because you saved me Arthur.. and I had no idea you were her father… I owe you a debt of gratitude Sir… I will make her the happiest woman in the world I promise."

"Thank you Romeo…" Arthur uttered and smiled a little. For the first time in his whole life he felt at peace and happy. "There is something I need to do… Brittany…" he said as he placed a hand upon her head. "When one of us dies, we must pass the memories on…" he said "… to our offspring…"

As he closed his eyes, Brittany felt very strange, and every memory he held in his soul was transferred to her. "I was England…" he gasped "Now…you are England…"

"Oh Papa!" she cried, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I understand everything… I truly do… oh my God… your soul… Papa… don't die! Papa!" she sobbed.

At that moment, Francis who was sure that he too was dying, reached out to her and did exactly the same thing. "You are England … and you are France…" he sighed. He knew he could not live without Arthur, their souls were too close and too entangled, and he could feel everything that Arthur felt.

Gilbert found himself at the cottage too, with no real reason for him being there, but he had escaped the guards, and as far as he was aware, there had been something happened at the Cathedral, and Ludwig's plans had gone disastrously wrong.

In his hand he held the quartz crystal that he had taken from the new machine and somehow he knew he had to place it in Francis' hand. He didn't know how or why or what was directing him, but he did it.

"I believe this is yours…" he uttered.

Francis looked at him strangely and then realised this whole thing was very strange indeed. Somewhere in the distance, there was the sound of music being played in reverse, and it all felt very surreal. He felt his eyes start to flicker, and jolts like electricity flow through him.

"Papa!" cried Brittany… "Papa!"

Her voice echoed away in the distance and everything went black, but for the sound of music playing backwards slowly.

"Temporal Lobe Epilepsy…" The doctor was saying to Arthur, who sat by Francis' bedside holding his hand. Francis had been unconscious for a long time and he had been taken into hospital "Status Epilepticus".

"It can cause delusions, hallucinations… as well as Grand Mal seizures…" he said.

"But… I don't understand…" Arthur replied. "He was injured during the war… are you saying its caused brain damage to him?"

"Perhaps, or he might have always had it." the doctor replied. "It's called Temporal lobe epilepsy because it originates in the Temporal lobes of the brain, and we're only just finding out these things… up until now we didn't really have an explanation…"

"Is he going to be alright?" Arthur asked.

"He will need medication… but for now, he looks like he will recover." he said. "Don't be surprised if he is confused when he wakes up. The hallucinations can be very elaborate, and very severe… some say its almost like reality." he said. "The temporal lobe is kind of like the brains time track." He continued "or at least that's current thinking. "He might not know what day it is or what time it is… either way, he's going to be confused…"

Francis awoke from his delirium, not really knowing where he was or what time or anything… but Arthur was not old and dying and they were not where he thought they were. Almost immediately the memories of what happened were fading and becoming sketchy, as his mind tried to readjust to reality.

"Arthur..?" he asked. At least he could remember his name.

"Oh thank God…" he sighed. "How are you feeling?"

"I don't know… where…where are we?"

"I had to call an ambulance, you were having the most awful fit…" Arthur said with tears forming in his eyes. "It went on for…hours…." he said. "I had just got Brittany down to sleep and… then I got back to bed and… you went into seizure. I was so worried… they're saying you have Temporal lobe epilepsy. I'm not sure what that is exactly, but I've never seen anything so scary in my life." he said and hugged him tight. "Oh Francis… I could have lost you…"

Later that day, Arthur took a very poorly Francis home from the hospital, vowing to take greater care of him now that he had this horrible illness. He would let him sleep as long as he wanted to, and not put too much work on him, and be there when he needed him.

That night he listened as Francis reiterated to him the whole experience, at least the parts he could remember, but it seemed so different now… it had to have been an hallucination.

Arthur sat with his arms around his husband and kissed him softly. "It was just a horrible seizure darling… frightening yes… but you're alright now. I'm going to take care of you from now on." he said softly.

"It felt so real at the time…" Francis sighed. "It makes me wonder if somewhere in time and space… that it might have actually happened…"

"Who knows?" Arthur replied. "But try not to think like that my love… we will never truly know the answer… but we do know you've come through a really bad experience."

Francis lay with his head on Arthur's chest on the sofa as they listened to the music on the radio. Brittany was being taken care of by a nanny, and Francis was finally having a break. It was hard to believe that it was all an elaborate hallucination, that Arthur hadn't really fixed the machine, nor gone into the future… but it seemed that was the case.

"I love you so much Francis…" whispered Arthur.

"Je t'aime aussi…" he replied as he fell asleep in his husband's arms.

Arthur fell asleep too. It had been a tough couple of days and he had been so worried for the man he loved, he'd barely slept a wink.

Down in the basement of the mansion however, things were not quite as straightforward as they seemed. Somehow the machine, switched itself on, and began to play its strange music, and soon the chamber opened. A man, tall, broad and square jawed, stood in the chamber. On his head was pinned behind his ear, three golden laurel leaves, and he wore the uniform of Nazi Germany.

Floreat Beilschmidt stepped out of the machine with one intent only… kidnap Brittany Kirkland Bonnefoy…

**Author's Note:**

> Listen to Floreat by Lesiem for effect
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8pLLp_5egqk


End file.
